


Against all Odds

by Vaslux



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Drama, F/F, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-23 01:24:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 135,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13776717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vaslux/pseuds/Vaslux
Summary: The storm has come and gone. Max and Chloe are alive, but after leaving Arcadia Bay they soon come to realize that the events of the past week cannot be easily left behind. Running away does not heal the scars they bear deep inside, nor does it solve the problems that may yet come to haunt them. While one tries to piece her life back together, the other has to fight to keep hers from falling apart.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> 
> 
> #### A small foreword & an even smaller disclaimer
> 
>   
>  Welcome to this little story of mine. This this work is one born out of passion for the game, and by sharing it with the world I hope that I can brighten at least a few days. The goal of the following story is to give the characters of Max and Chloe, as well as the people in their lives, a form of closure that many of us can agree the game was lacking. It is a story about two young women who, in the aftermath of terrible experiences, find comfort in each other while trying their best to cope with what happened. It is a story about life, and the people in it, not about world-altering events.
> 
> While by now fairly confident in my writing skills, English isn't my main language. So expect typos and grammatical errors to, on occasion, rear their ugly heads. If you spot one or more that are particularly bad, please let me know and I'll try and fix it as soon as I can.
> 
> And as a small final word: It means a lot to me that you have opted to give this story a try, and I hope you enjoy the stories and chapters that are to follow just as much as I enjoy writing them. In other words: Thank you very much for reading. I'll do my best to reply to your comments, even if I may not always be able to do so in a timely manner.
> 
> But enough from me, and onward with the story. Have fun! 

* * *

Chloe’s old truck barreled down the road that had led out of Arcadia Bay. Now heading northward, along the Oregon coast, it was guiding them to an uncertain destination, and an uncertain future.

The dense forests escorting them were only occasionally thinning out, allowing for short glimpses of the now peaceful sea. The dark and looming clouds that had rolled over Arcadia Bay had long since vanished from the rear view mirror. A clear blue sky had taken their place, and as the day grew older the soft glow of the evening sun began to ever so gently illuminate the road ahead.

The drive offered no comforts, no reason to cheer. Neither Max, nor Chloe had spoken a word since their departure. Over the course of many hours, Max had slumped into her seat, resting against the passenger side door, and all but melting into it. Her trusted old camera bag was sitting on her lap, and she was clutching it to herself in a vise-like embrace. She was facing away from Chloe, staring out of the window and into the distance. The landscape passing her by was but a blur.

While Max seemed to have been lost in thought, Chloe was trying her best to keep her eyes on the road, and failing to do so. She kept throwing glances at Max, hoping for any sign of improvement. Max’s demeanor had not gone unnoticed, and with each passing second Chloe more and more struggled to keep her focus.

And indeed, following another series of long minutes, it was Chloe who first broke their silence. “Look Max, if...” she said, but her voice trailed off right away. She was carefully considering her next words, feeling out of her depth. “If you need to talk… Or if you want to talk… Shit I don’t know…” She shook her head and slowed down, tearing her eyes off the road, and instead looking at Max. “I’m here for you, okay?” With a tiny smile she placed a hand on Max’s arm, rubbing it lightly. “I just want you to know that.”

Max, still facing away, simply nodded in response. It was a weak nod, barely qualifying as one, but it was the first sign of life in hours. Chloe hesitated, letting her hand linger on Max’s arm for a moment longer. “Thank you,” she said, before bringing her attention back to the road, firmly putting both her hands back on the steering wheel.

Silence overtook the cabin once more, but after some time, Max at long last stirred. She shifted, pushing herself to sit up straight. Chloe threw a glance at her, only for worry to flood back in. Max’s eyes were puffy and reddened, and as she noticed Chloe’s gaze, she quickly wiped away any tears still making their way down her cheeks.

“Chloe?” Max asked. “Can we stop for a moment?” She sounded fragile, her voice was trembling with every word. “I… I’m not feeling so well.”

“Are you okay?” Chloe cringed as she asked the question. The answer was obvious. “I mean, do you need anything?” 

“No… No, I’m fine.” Max looked down at her hands, trying to avoid Chloe’s gaze. She pulled her bag even closer. “I just need some fresh air, that’s all.” Her breathing was slow and heavy as spoke. “Just for a few minutes.”

Chloe took a deep breath herself. It was not what she had hoped to hear, but after all these hours of silence she finally felt some relief. “Of course,” she said as she stepped on the accelerator. “I’ll pull over as soon as possible.”

"Thank you," Max said, once again leaning back into her seat.

It did not take Chloe long to find a suitable spot for them to stop. She pulled over at a small and quiet rest area near the forest. A handful of other cars and trucks were already present, but there were no people to be seen. Nevertheless, Chloe parked the truck a safe distance away, near an old and weathered picnic table. The area was covered in countless leaves of various shades of yellow and red, and large trees were preventing any sunlight from reaching the ground.

“Thank you,” Max said, scrambling out of the truck before Chloe could even apply the parking brake. Leaving her bag on the seat, she made her way over to the table. Her footsteps were heavy as stone. The forest floor was damp, and a cool breeze kept ever so lightly rustling and moving the leaves around her. With arms crossed she stood there, motionless, staring into the woods surrounding them.

Chloe remained in the truck, eyes locked onto Max. She wanted to give her the space she needed, but it was not making it any easier. She sat there, fidgeting with her key chain and the steering wheel, shifting around, trying to somehow keep herself busy. But nothing was working. Feeling frustrated, she grabbed the pack of cigarettes lying on the dashboard, shaking out the last one. With a cigarette dangling between her lips she hopped out of her truck. Reaching into her back pocket, she pulled out her lighter, and lighted the cigarette. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, slowly letting the smoke escape her lungs. 

As she paced along the side of her car she saw Max sit down, burying her head in her hands. "Screw this," Chloe muttered to herself. She threw her cigarette to the ground and stomped it out, hurrying over to the picnic table where Max was sitting. As she came close she could hear quiet sobbing.

She placed her hand on Max' shoulder and crouched down in front of her. "Hey…" she said, looking up at Max. "I uh… I realize now this is a dumb question, but still… Are you okay Max? What’s going on?" 

There was another moment of silence.

"Please, Max. Talk to me. I'm… I’m worried." Once again there was no response. "Okay," Chloe said calmly. "You don't need to talk if you don't want to, but I'm not leaving you alone here." She sat down next to Max and draped her arms over the girl's shoulders.

To Chloe, the two of them sat there for what seemed like an eternity, but in fact it could not have been more than a few minutes. Max's heavy and irregular breathing began to slow down for the better, and soon after, she started shifting in Chloe's arms. She pulled away and wiped her hands on her jeans. She glimpsed at Chloe, who hesitated a bit before letting go of her. Max’s eyes were still watery, and few lonely tears kept running down her face.

"What are we doing Chloe?" Max asked, shaking her head as she did. Her voice still uneven and breaking up. 

"What do you mean? I don't und-"

"I mean what are we doing _here_." Max interrupted, speaking up just a little and gesturing around her. "We just… left. And all those people back in Arcadia Bay… We left them all to die. Friends, family…" She jumped up, and rushed away from the table, even startling Chloe in the process. She stopped near one of the trees, keeping her back turned toward her friend. "I killed all of them," she said. Her voice had become even quieter, inaudible to anyone but her.

Chloe got up and followed Max. The rustling of leaves beneath her boots were the only sounds to pierce the eerie stillness that lingered over the forest. She moved to stand in front of her friend, putting both her hands on her Max’s shoulders. She hunched down to be at eye level, peering deep inside Max. "Do you want to go back? To Arcadia? I will come with you if you want, you realize that, right?”

Max met Chloe's gaze. Tears were once more dripping down past her cheeks. "I know you wanted to leave Chloe. I know, and I am sorry. I’m so sorry. But we have no money, we have no place to go, or even stay. We have nothing. And the people back there… We can't just… I just… I just fucked everything up. I'm sorry Chloe, I'm so sorry."

Chloe took Max's hands and squeezed gently, taking a step closer. "You have _nothing_ to be sorry for Max. You hear me? None of it was your fault. None of it."

Max violently shook her head. "How can you even say that? You saw what happened! You were there! You know what I did! I chose this… I… I chose to destroy Arcadia Bay."

"You didn't choose to destroy anything." Chloe responded. She gave Max’s hands another, this time firmer squeeze. "There was no way you could have known this would happen. It is not your fault. Nothing is!" Max was now sobbing heavily, and she tried pulling away, but Chloe kept holding her hands. "You saved me so many times," she pleaded. "And I am _so_ grateful for that. And I can't even begin to imagine what you must be going through right now, but I just want you to know that I am here for you, you understand? Whatever shit the universe will throw at you, I'll help you get through it." She pulled in Max, hugging her tightly. "We'll get through it. Together. I’m not leaving you alone with this. I will never leave you alone with this."

At last, Max stopped resisting. She buried her face in the crook of Chloe's neck, hugging her back. She tried forcing her eyes shut in an effort to stop the tears, but to no avail. All the pain, and all the hurt that had accumulated over the past week began to stream down her face, dripping onto the forest floor below.


	2. Another Great Day In Arcadia Bay

_Another Great Day in Arcadia Bay._

By some untold means, the old sign at the entrance of town had made it through the storm in one piece. Yet even without the calamity’s toll, its paint was flaking off, weathered and sun-bleached. Wooden boards were cracked and splintered, paying their dues to years of exposure to the elements, as well as a lifetime of general neglect. It was a wretched sight, but even before the storm, the sign had been a spot-on representation of what Arcadia Bay had become.

Chloe’s truck was parked only a couple of dozen feet away, at the side of a now busy road. An uneasy silence reigned inside, with Max and Chloe both lost in respective thoughts. The drive back to Arcadia Bay had been marked by the same quiet, the hours uneventful, and above all muted. While Chloe had been speeding to make time, only briefly stopping for gas and cigarettes, Max had tried and failed to quell her restlessness.

A cold breeze entered the truck through the open driver side window, causing Max to shiver ever so lightly, and huddle up even more. As soon as they had arrived at the outskirts of town, a mere couple of minutes earlier, Chloe had lit a cigarette, desperate to calm her nerves. Her eyes followed the faint silver trail of smoke as it dissipated into the night, joining a bright full moon, and a star-filled sky. The distant sound of waves hitting the shore completed what on any other day might have been considered a beautiful evening worth savoring, however, this was as far from ordinary as it could get.

Ambulances, fire trucks and police cars kept barreling down the road that led into town. Sirens blasted as the vehicles rushed past the truck, and their flashing emergency lights were omens of what was to come.

Chloe blew another plume of smoke out of the window, shaking her head a little as another set of ambulances entered town. “Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked, breaking their prolonged silence. “We could find a place to sleep. Come back tomorrow.”

Several seconds passed, Max’s answer tarrying. She shook her head, pushing herself to scrape together the necessary courage and strength. “No,” she replied. “I think we should do this now. We can’t waste any more time.” Although she had stopped crying many miles ago, due in no small part to the comforting words and gestures from Chloe, she was still visibly struggling to keep her composure, and being back in Arcadia Bay was only making it harder for her to do so. It felt as if her moments of bravery were fleeting, the window of opportunity before a renewed breakdown shrinking by the minute.

“Okay. Then I’m ready too.” Chloe gave Max a reassuring smile. “You know…” She shifted a little, her hand finding Max’s knee. “I’m glad you’re here. I don’t think I could go back in there alone.”

“Yeah…” Max’s mind was racing, barraged by somber thoughts. They had yet to change, having lingered ever since the lighthouse. “Me neither…”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Chloe said. Her expression was soft and caring, and her intention to remain strong in the onslaught of what was to come, of what they may find. Yet even she did not manage to hide her nervousness, nor the hints of worry and sadness in her voice. But she also knew there was no point in admitting it, no point in taking a risk which could worsen the situation, and so she continued to ignore her feelings to the best of her ability. “We can stay here a little longer, if you’re not sure about this,” she continued. “We can wait a bit. There’s no rush. We have time.”

Max stared down at her lap, her sleeves pulled over her hands. “I… I don’t think time is going to help much. We should… we should go.”

“Okay…” Chloe bit her lip, fumbling a little with the car keys still dangling from the ignition. “Well… W-where should we go first?” she asked, not expecting a real answer, and in fact only receiving a weak shrug. Unsure of what to do next, she sighed, and with her free hand she reached into her pocket, searching for her phone. “Shit… No reception. What about you?”

Max did not move. “Chloe… I don’t think there is after…”

“Fuck… You’re right, of course.” She placed her phone on top of the dashboard. Her chin lowered itself to her chest. “Well I guess…” she said. “We could head over to my place? Would you mind? Because I… I want to make sure mom is okay.” She could not help but feel guilty at the request.

“No… No, not at all,” Max answered. “But Chloe… There is something I have to tell you.”

The aftermath of the party kept replaying in Max’s head. Chloe’s death. The bunker. The storm. The explosion of the diner. All of it, over and over again. She had tried to save everybody, she knew that, but those moments, and those actions, were nothing but memories. Memories of things that only she experienced. Memories of things that, in a way, never happened. 

Max realized what that meant.

“Chloe…” she said, her voice immediately on the verge of breaking. “Whatever we find, whatever we see… I am sorry, I… I tried… I…” She took a deep breath, trying to find the words that were eluding her. “I just want you to know that I am sorry, okay? I tried to save everybody, I tried to-”

Frowning in confusion, Chloe cut her off. “I know Max. We went over this earlier.”

“No, not like this! So please Chloe, listen!” She grabbed her friend’s wrist, both hands holding onto her for dear life. Her grasp was firm and unrelenting. “I was here, during the storm. I traveled back. I… I saw what happened. I saw…” Max knew she had to tell her. She knew the pain of finding out on her own would hurt Chloe more than anything.

“Hey, hey… it’s okay.” Chloe immediately felt bad for interrupting her. Again she placed her hand on Max’s knee “What did you see?”

Max swallowed hard, letting go of Chloe’s arm as she slouched back into her seat. “I… I was at the diner. Before I came back to you at the party. There was… There was an explosion. I stopped it there, but I don’t know if it happened here as well, and…” Tears began to well up in her eyes. “I… I just want you to be strong okay? I _never_ meant to hurt you or your mother. You have to know that. Please, you have to believe me.”

Chloe’s eyes narrowed as she listened to Max. She understood. She knew what Max was struggling to say, and her own fears took over. Her chest tightened, her heart heavy, and a cold sweat swept over her, as if suddenly the strength had been sapped from every part of her body. “But, but you didn’t see her die, right? Right? That… that means she could be alive.” The words spilled out of her mouth like a waterfall. She started shaking her head, the movement more violent with each passing instant. “No, no, no… no! No! I’m sure she is. She… She just has to be. There’s no way…” She threw out what remained of her cigarette, violently turning the keys in the ignition. “Max, we have to go to the diner right now! Please. She can’t be! She can’t!” 

Max was dreading every second of what was to come. There were so many other people, not just Joyce. Warren. Frank. They had all been there. But running was no solution, there was no point in delaying the inevitable, after all, she was the one who insisted on returning to Arcadia Bay. And she knew she couldn’t leave Chloe alone in this, that she didn’t _want_ to leave her alone in this.

For now, she too was thankful to be not be alone. To be with Chloe.

“I’m with you.” She assured her friend as Chloe slammed the accelerator. “Always.”


	3. The Aftermath

Chloe’s eyes were fixated on the road, her gaze unwavering and alert. White-knuckled hands gripped the steering wheel, her grasp tight and reaching a painful level. Every movement, every turn, no matter how small and subtle, was precise and accurate. Her heart raced, and every muscle in her body was tense. A singular goal was on her mind, causing even the omnipresent destruction to fade away into the background.

The ruins of a town passed them by, carved up by a swath of death and devastation. The streets were littered with debris. Crumbled buildings, broken power lines, entire uprooted trees and vehicles which had been tossed around like children’s toys, were scattered in every direction. The darkness was making it hard to see the exact extent of the damages, and even the headlights from Chloe’s truck could only help so much. Navigating the streets was not only painfully slow and tedious, but also dangerous.

Max had closed her eyes. She was trying to force it all away, to shut it all out. But nothing was helping. Her hands were sweaty and shaking, and it was only getting worse. Nausea crept up on her, and the shakiness began to surge up along her body, settling deep within her.

She was afraid. Afraid of seeing the deaths she feared so much. Afraid of witnessing Chloe’s reaction in the face of losing yet another loved one. But she was not sure which of the two she feared most.

Maybe it was neither.

Maybe she feared the possibility of losing Chloe. The possibility of losing the only person that kept her going these past few days. The only person in Arcadia Bay she truly, deeply cared for. 

The person she was starting to feel more for than just simple friendship.

Not before long, their already wanting progress slowed down even more, grinding to a painful halt. The main road toward the diner had been closed off by the local police department, and only rescue vehicles and helpers were allowed to pass. But even so, Chloe was undeterred. She hit the brakes, and yanked the steering wheel hard, muttering a curse under her breath. Tires screeched as the truck violently changed direction, coming to a sudden stop on the sidewalk. Not wasting any time, Chloe jumped out, slamming the door shut behind her, and taking off toward the barricades as well as the diner that lay just beyond.

The unexpected action had not done Max any favors. She almost had to pull herself out of the car, and with unsteady legs she struggled to keep up with Chloe. “Chloe!” she called out. “Please, wait!”

Chloe stopped dead in her tracks, but nevertheless glanced at the diner, torn between Max and her destination. Her reluctance was however not for long, and soon she spun around, hurrying back. “Please,” she said, meeting Max halfway, and grabbing her shoulder once they were back together. “Don’t you faint on me now.”

Max shook her head and took a series of quick and shallow breaths. “I… I won’t. I promise. I just needed a moment.”

Chloe took Max’s hand into her own. “Good,” she said hastily, throwing a glance back over her shoulder. “Because I need you. I can’t go in there alone” Her voice quivered ever so slightly, and it seemed as if she was fighting back tears. “So please, are you ready?”

“Yes. Yes, I am.”

“Good. Okay…” Chloe tightened her grip on Max’s hand, and then took off again, this time gingerly pulling her along, and in the direction of the diner.

However, once again they did not get far. As soon as Chloe slipped under one of the barricade tapes, a voice called them out. “Hey! You two! You are not allowed to pass!” A police officer had seen them, and he took a few tentative steps toward them, using his flashlight to get a better look.

Chloe had no intention of stopping. Max wavered for a moment, but as soon as she felt the gentle tug from Chloe she too hurried on, not wanting to leave her alone. Changing direction, they opted to swerve around the officer, but it was to no avail.

“Hey!” He called out again, taking another series of steps. “Stop!” 

But Chloe did not care, and she did not stop. The officer began to run, trying to intercept them, and despite their best efforts, succeeding in doing so. As he came close his spread his arms wide, blocking their path. His uniform was dirty and tattered, and even in the dim light that emanated from his flashlight, the dark circles under his eyes were clearly visible.

“Damn it!” Chloe hissed. Even now her attention remained on the diner. 

The officer studied them both, before focusing solely on Chloe. “Miss Price…” he grumbled, giving her a knowing look.

“Officer Corn…” Chloe muttered back, shooting him a cold stare.

“Look, I am sorry, but I cannot let you pass,” he repeated, sighing as he did. “We really don’t need any more people running around. It’s enough already.” He was clearly tired and exhausted. 

Chloe rolled her eyes, stomping her foot. “Come on! I’m looking for my mother!”

He offered her a weary look, his response clear. “I am sorry, but these rules exist for a reason. We can’t just let anyone run around.”

“Please...” Max took a small step forward, stepping into the cone of light. Her and Chloe’s hands were still linked, and neither of them showed any signs of other intentions. “We… we were out of town. We just came back and can’t find anyone. We’re… worried.”

Chloe glimpsed at her, then gave her hand an appreciative squeeze. She took a deep breath. “Right. And we know my mom was here. And you know she works here. So, please…” she pleaded, now making an effort to calm down. “Just a few minutes? Until we find her?”

Officer Corn sighed again, wiping some dirt and grime from his forehead. “Look, I cannot let you pass. But… fine. I’ll see what I can do for you.”

“Thank you.” Chloe exhaled, sounding as if it was the first breath she took in ages. “Thank you.” 

“Don’t thank me yet,” officer Corn replied sternly. “Now, listen to me. I want you to go back to your car. I want you stay there, and I want you to wait until I come back. Like I said, we really don’t need anyone else running around.” 

“Okay,” Chloe replied. “W-we can do that.”

“Yes, thank you,” Max added. “We’ll wait. We’ll do that.”

  


#### * * *

  


Chloe paced along the side of her truck. Every now and then she looked at her phone, only to be disappointed. It was well past midnight, and despite his earlier promise, officer Corn had yet to return, having gone for nearly twenty minutes. Fighting her rising anxiousness was a lost cause, and so Chloe’s eyes kept darting around, taking in the surroundings, then moving to her phone, and back again elsewhere. She was restless, every minute passing with agonizing slowness.

It was 00:13 AM.

Just beyond the barricades, EMTs, firefighters and police officers were busy rushing up and down the area, shouting and yelling things that she could not quite make out. The parking lot next to the diner had become a makeshift emergency coordination center. Ambulances were coming and going every few minutes, with other trucks and cars often taking their place. The ever-flashing emergency lighting reflected off the buildings and the street, and into the night sky. The sign on the top of the diner was gone, and the inside was dark. It was impossible to make out any details. 

Chloe glimpsed back at her phone. It was 00:15 AM.

An old wooden boat, broken, and not unlike the one she knew from the junkyard, carried to the diner by the storm, had been flung into the side of the building. She saw Frank’s RV, or rather what was left of it. It had been torn to pieces, the parts spread around the street. A dead whale was lying on the side of the road, blocking further access. A large piece of metal was stuck in its side, the blood tinting the surface beneath.

00:16 AM.

Further down the road, a heavy-duty crane was removing larger debris, and beyond that, dark smoke billowed into the sky. Somewhere in the distance, rumbling sounds marked the collapse of yet another building.

To Max, all of this was a familiar scene. Too familiar, even now, but at least this time she was not alone, even if Chloe’s pacing did not help in getting rid of her nervousness. She leaned against the car, clutching her bag, and letting the cold night air hit her face. It was a welcome sensation, and for a short moment she managed to ease up.

00:17 AM. 

Chloe looked up from her phone. Someone was running in their direction. She immediately stopped pacing and took a few steps toward the figure.

It was officer Corn.

“Max!” Chloe called.

Max glimpsed up, and saw Chloe giving her a pleading look, as the officer had nearly reached them. The feeling of encroaching dread returned, but nevertheless she caught up with Chloe, and as she stood next to her, their fingers interlocked once more.

“I’m sorry for the wait. Something came up,” the policeman said as he slipped under the tape delimited the premises. He was panting heavily, sweat glistening on his face. “But I have good news for you.” 

All it took was those last seven words. A surge of relief hit Chloe, and the tension in her muscles went away, replaced by an almost dizzying lightness. Even Max could feel it, and with it, hope returned.

“Your mother is in the hospital,” officer Corn explained, getting straight to the point. “I’ve been told she was injured, but she is alive. I don’t know the extent of her injuries, but apparently she got lucky.”

“Oh, thank god,” Chloe exhaled, gasping for air as a small cough escaped her. “God… Thank you…”

The corners of the cop’s mouth turning into a tired smile. “Yes, at least there is some good news today.” 

“What… What about the other people?” Max asked. “A… friend of mine was there.”

His smile shrunk, and his look narrowed. “There were other people, yes. But they were rushed to the hospital many hours ago, their injuries were… serious. Again, I’m afraid I can’t tell you more than that. But, they were alive, and someone must have been looking out for them.”

Chloe felt Max’s hand twitch. “What do you… mean? What happened?” she asked, pulling Max closer to her.

“Well, as far as we can tell, there was a gas explosion in the kitchen. But look at it.” He pointed at diner, his focus shifting back and forth between them. “That building is still standing, despite everything. The roof is gone, and the windows are destroyed, but that’s it. It could have burned to the ground, it could have been torn apart by that storm, but it didn’t. And after today, after this entire week, we’ll take whatever miracle we can get.”

Max and Chloe gave each other knowing looks.

“Now…” Officer Corn continued. “You two go find a place to stay. If your homes are not safe, then you will find shelter at Blackwell. There are people helping there. And don’t go to the hospital unless you absolutely have to. They already don’t know where to put everybody, and they don’t have the capacity for people to get in their way. You understand?”

Both girls nodded, only half-listening.

“Good. Good.” The officer gave them both a nod. “Now, you stay safe out there,” he said, before making his way back to the closed-off area.

For a moment, Max and Chloe stood there, watching as he left, letting the news sink in. Even though not all was yet clear, they felt relieved. Chloe moved to face Max. Her lips parted slightly, and a small smile appeared across her face. Her eyes were glistening with joy, and for several seconds she simply gazed at Max, before slipping her arms around her, drawing her as close as she possibly could. “Come on,” she said, “I think it’s finally time to go home.”


	4. Some Memories Never Die

Max and Chloe stood on the sidewalk, at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Price home. The front lawn, as well as the driveway, were in parts blocked by a plethora of minor debris, and the remains of what used to be trees and fences. The dark of night made it difficult to make out the extent of the damages, however, the majority of the house itself had been spared. While bruised and battered, not unlike the neighborhood surrounding it, it became clear that the storm had not passed through this part of town.

Chloe breathed a shallow sigh as she took in the sights which were her home. “You know,” she said, “for years all I wanted was to get far away from this place. It never felt like… home. Not like the one I used to know.” Her eyes kept wandering over the building, settling on her room. A tiny smiled curved up her lips. “But now… Somehow it feels right to be back.”

“You’re not disappointed?” Max asked, throwing her a nervous glance. There was another word on her mind, one she did not dare use.

“No.” Chloe shook her head, the answer simple. “I’m actually happy to be here. Now that you are back, it kinda feels like old times.”

Max remained quiet. Those few moments of peace and respite which had followed the news of Joyce’s survival were long gone, now feeling like distant memories. Something else had replaced them. It was not fear, nor was it anxiety. It was something else, something she could not put her finger on.

“May be some time in the future we’ll leave,” Chloe continued. “But right now, this is all I need.”

“Right. Like you said,” Max replied through her absent-mindedness. “We have time.”

“Exactly.” At last Chloe took her eyes off the building. She gave Max a warm smile, but it was quick to wane as she watched Max stare into the darkness ahead. “Are you all right, Max?” she asked with caution. “You seemed fine earlier, but now…”

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” She offered Chloe a brief smile, adjusting the strap of her bag. “Just tired, that’s all.”

“Okay… Let’s go inside then.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her phone to turn on her flashlight. Together they began to climb the stairs, and Chloe used the opportunity to get a better look at the facade. “Doesn’t look that bad. Could be worse, right?”

“I guess,” Max said, following her up the stairs and towards the front door.

An eerie silence, and a cool draft greeted them once Chloe had unlocked the door. Out of instinct, Chloe reached for the nearest light switch, but as she flicked it on, the lights remained dark. “Great,” she groaned. “Should’ve known. And my phone’s also nearly dead.” 

“We can use mine,” Max said, opening her bag to retrieve her phone. With the flashlight on, she took a look at their surroundings. Quickly, she noticed that the door to the garage had been left open, and that the car was gone. “Do you think someone was here?” she asked, motioning toward the door.

“Could be. David probably still has a key,” Chloe replied. Leaning around the corner, she peered inside. “We could also search the garage for a light, but I’d rather not go through his shit.”

“No, it’s fine,” Max said, letting the light linger briefly on the open doorway. “My phone’s still good.”

“Okay. Thanks,” Chloe said as she made her way down the hallway. “Light? Please?”

“Yes, I’m here. Sorry.” She caught up, joining Chloe in the living room.

Everything seemed normal, and yet unfamiliar at the same time, the quiet and dark uncomfortable, and as they entered the room, the source of the draft made itself known. One of the windows had been left ajar, and somehow a couple of smaller branches had been carried inside by the storm, now lying scattered across the floor. The curtains flowed in the breeze, slipping in and out of the windows, and ever so often catching themselves on the protruding edges of the frame. “Man, this is kinda creepy,” Chloe muttered as she closed the window. “Feels like some horror flick.”

Max chose to ignore the last of her statement, instead using the flashlight to get a clearer picture of the room. Out of the corner of eyes, a piece of paper on the floor caught her attention. “Look, there,” she said. “On the floor.”

“What?” Chloe whipped around, not immediately noticing where Max was pointing at. “Oh, yeah I see it.” She crouched down and picked it up, moving back toward Max and the light. “It’s a note,” she said once she got a better look. “It’s from David.”

_Chloe,_

__

__

_I hope you are fine. Your mother is in the hospital. I’m with her, she is injured but will be all right. I was not able to reach you, but if you read this, stay here. We will return late, more likely tomorrow._

__

__

_David_

__

__

“That explains the open door,” Chloe said as she finished reading. “It’s also the first time that I am happy to hear that he is with her.” She groaned. “Ugh. Can’t believe I actually just said that.”

“Well, at least you know that they are both safe,” Max countered, giving her a stern look. “Also, remember, without David we wouldn’t be here.”

“You’re right, of course… I still have to get used to that. Wonder how he knew though.” 

“Does it matter?”

Chloe shrugged. “Guess, not. We’ll find out tomorrow anyway.” She grabbed the note and stuffed it into her pocket. “Come on, there’s nothing else here. Let’s go upstairs. I think we both could use some rest.”

  


#### * * *

  


Chloe’s room was the most welcome of sights. Stale air, half-empty coffee mugs on the desk, clothes that been discarded on the floor—despite its usual messy state, Max was certain there was no place she would rather be. It all seemed like a different world, but even so, deep down she knew that these feelings would only be temporary.

In one smooth, and apparently well-rehearsed motion, Chloe kicked off her boots and flung her jacket over the chair at her desk. She sighed, throwing herself onto her bed. “Man, this has been such a bat-shit crazy week.”

Max set down her bag on the desk. She knew that the consequences of the storm would not simply go away. For a moment she closed her eyes, then walked over to the bed and laid down next to Chloe. She placed her phone near the head of the bed, its flashlight now dimly lighting up the ceiling above them. “I just hope it’s over,” she replied at last.

“I’m sure it is.” Chloe propped her head up on one of the pillows. “I can feel it.”

“I’d like to believe that, but… I don’t know.” She shifted slightly, turning her head to face Chloe. “What… if something else happens?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly. “What if another storm is coming?”

Chloe scooted closer, rolling onto her side. Offering her a kind smile, she continued. “Then we’ll deal with it. Together. You’re not alone. I’m with you, whatever happens. Whatever it takes.”

Max’s gaze went back to the ceiling. She frowned, and a noticeable sigh escaped her. “I don’t think I could do this again.”

Chloe’s shoulders slumped a little. But she was not about to give up. “Look…” she said. “I admit I realize I might not know what I am talking about here, or what you went through this week, but I think you were amazing.” Her tone was gentle and caring. “You were the best friend anyone could have hoped for. That I could have hoped for.”

“And look what happened,” Max muttered.

“Stop it! You, Max Caulfield, were thrust into an impossible situation. No one out there would know what to do. But _you_ , you helped so many people. Like me. Like Kate. Like…” Her voice cracked, and she let her head slump back onto the pillow. “Like Rachel.”

Max swallowed hard, looking back at Chloe. “I’m sorry that… that we couldn’t save her.” She knew it was wrong, but she could not help but feel relieved that the conversation had, at least for the moment, changed direction. “I wish I could have done more.”

“No, damn it. I’m sorry,” Chloe said, shaking her head. “You did enough. I don’t want to burden you with this stuff. You have enough on your plate.”

“No, no, it’s okay. We’re in this together, remember?” Tentatively, Max placed her hand on top of Chloe’s. “Do you… do you want to talk about her?”

“No, I don’t think so. Not yet anyway.” She curled up, bringing her legs close to her upper body. “I’ve been looking for her for six months, and now she’s just… gone. And I know that she lied to me, and that there’s probably more things she kept from me, but….” She sniffed, letting out a deep breath. “But I still can’t believe she’s… dead. I guess maybe it hasn’t really sunken in yet.”

“I’m so, so sorry Chloe. No one should have to go through this, especially not you.”

“Thanks. I… I appreciate it.” She gave Max’s hand a squeeze.

Soon, the conversation trailed off. For several minutes they remained in silence, finding comfort in each other. Their fingers were linked once again, and Chloe’s thumb started gently caressing the back of Max’s hand. A small smile took hold of her face. “You know…. Rachel, she uh… she used to joke that… that she and I we needed therapy.” She chuckled as she smiled at Max. “And now look at us.”

The feeling of Chloe’s thumb moving over her hand was a soothing one, and one Max found herself savoring in full. “We would make very interesting cases,” she said. “They could write papers about us.”

“Yeah. We’re a mess aren’t we.” The thought of Rachel, and her disappearance, caused Chloe’s expression to become somber once again. “I just wish I could have done something.”

“You did,” Max assured her. “You kept going when everyone else had already moved on. You never gave up on her.”

“Still, it’s just not fair. She had her faults, but…” Chloe gaze went to their interlocked hands. “She didn’t deserve what happened to her.” 

Chloe’s words sent a shiver creeping down Max’s body. They had almost been overshadowed by the events of the past few hours, but all of a sudden, the memories of the darkroom were back in the spotlight. Max flinched, but held on tightly to Chloe’s hand, almost as if letting go would allow her to get dragged back into the bunker. Into his hands.

“Hey, hey….” Chloe said as she noticed Max’s reaction. “I swear, that perverted fucker Jefferson will get what he deserves. Nathan already did.” 

Max’s grip on Chloe’s hand loosened. She shot her a stern look. “Nathan had his own problems.”

“So, what? He still chose to do all those things.” Her tone of voice became cold and harsh. “I can’t forgive him for what he did.” 

“He should have gotten help,” Max explained.

“Maybe.” Chloe sighed, pausing for a few instants. “I’m sorry Max.” Her expression and tone softened again. “It’s just that after dad, I had hoped I would never have to feel like this again. Yet here I am.”

“But, this time you are not alone. I’m here. Like you are here for me.”

Chloe propped up her head on her elbow, staring thoughtfully at the girl next to her. “Can you promise me something?”

“Anything.” Max responded.

“Just promise me that you’ll never leave me. I don’t think I could-”

“I promise,” Max interrupted, and for the first in what seemed an eternity, a smile appeared on her face. It was small and weak, but it was a smile. “I will never leave you.”

  


#### * * *

  


Max sat at Chloe’s desk, idly playing with a pen, and staring at her diary. A new blank page lay in front of her, waiting to be filled. It was very early morning, and outside the sun was starting to peak over the horizon, coloring the sky with a subtle pink hue. Chloe for her part was still asleep, sprawled across the bed, occasionally moving and kicking the covers around.

For Max, the first few words had always proven to be the hardest, and this time was no exception. Thoughts, and emotions she was only now discovering, whirred around her mind, but after some contemplating, the tip of the pen touched the page, and she began to write.

_Chloe and I stood there watching as the tornado hit, unable to do anything. As soon as we could, we left what remained of Arcadia Bay behind us. But I couldn’t do it. It wasn’t the right thing to do. I asked her to turn back, and maybe she felt it as well, maybe she wanted to support me, either way we returned._

_Maybe Arcadia Bay is where we are supposed to be…_

_When we came back, Chloe wanted to look for Joyce. I was afraid, but I had to tell her what happened. I owe her that much. Even though hearing it must have hurt, she was still so strong._

_The diner looked even worse than it did in that other reality. I don’t know who was more nervous, Chloe or I, but she kept me going. Whenever she’d touch me or take my hand I could feel her… energy. Luckily a cop helped us, telling us that Joyce was fine. We still don’t know about Warren or Frank, but he seemed hopeful. Even if I feel like it, all may not be lost in Arcadia Bay._

_When the cop left, Chloe looked and smiled at me in a way that made me sure that I am feeling more than friendship for her. I never want to leave her, but right now, I also know that…-_

“Hey…” Chloe’s groggy voice took Max by surprise. Her head jerked up, and she let go of her pen. “What are you doing up so early?” Chloe asked, letting out a yawn. “Is everything okay?”

Max promptly closed her diary, twisting around to face Chloe who was squinting in her direction. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Chloe’s eyes darted to the diary, then back to Max. “Can’t sleep?”

“Kind of. Yes.”

“Bad dreams?” Chloe crawled out of bed, sitting at the edge.

Max shook her head, giving her smile. “No, I think there’s too simply much going on in my head.”

Chloe nodded in the direction of the diary. “Putting some of those things onto paper then?”

“It’s embarrassing, I know.” She slumped back into the chair.

“Oh, stop it. Stop beating yourself up. If there’s one person who should not be embarrassed of anything, it’s you.”

“Easy for you to say.”

Chloe smirked. “I’ll take that compliment.” She stretched and let out another yawn. “But if you think that I’ve never embarrassed myself, then you are dead wrong.”

Max cocked her head to one side. “Uh-huh, sure.”

“Oh, you don’t believe me?” Chloe asked. She hopped out of the bed, skipping over to the desk. She moved some of the mess that had been left on it out of the way, and sat down, letting her feet dangle. “I… was in a play once.” She declared. Her voice and face shared the same impish quality.

Max’s eyebrows shot up. “You? In a play?”

“Yep. Rachel dragged me into it, but…” She immediately continued. “… that’s not the important part, or the embarrassing one.” She shuffled closer, pushing some of the mess on her desk out of the way. “Wanna guess?” 

Max shrugged. She could not deny her curiosity. “I don’t know. You didn’t remember your lines?”

“Oh no. I owned that part.” She gave Max a sly smile and leaned in closer. “I had to wear spandex. In front of everybody. The whole school,” she whispered. 

“No way.”

“There’s pictures of it. If you dare look for them…” 

Max chuckled and shook her head. “Now I will have that image stuck in my head…”

“Well… probably better than whatever else kept you up.” Chloe jumped off the desk and laid back down on the bed, pulling the covers over herself.

Max smiled to herself, but soon her expression grew duller once again. “Chloe?” she asked, looking back toward her friend.

“Hmm?” Chloe glanced at her.

“Thank you. For everything.”

Chloe nodded, giving Max another warm smile. “Of course. You’re welcome.”

After hesitating a few seconds, Max picked up the pen again, and continued to write.

_…I will never be able to give her the happiness she deserves._


	5. Aching Hearts

Parked vehicles lined the street leading up to Blackwell Academy. Chloe’s truck crept along the narrow passage, and little by little the school came into view.

Chloe threw a few quick glances at the building. “Man, this place sure has seen better days,” she muttered, before bringing her attention back to the road.

Max leaned forward and peered past her friend to get a better look.

While the once proud brick walls of Blackwell had withstood the storm, the rest of the academy had not fared quite as well. What remained intact, now stood over the havoc that been wrought, looking down over Arcadia Bay, and the path the tornado had carved through it. The grounds were swarming with people. It was a constant back and forth of both civilians, and relief workers.

Max let her head fall back against the headrest. Seeing the building, it was not the destruction that bothered her the most. After what happened she came to expect it. But it seemed as if a dark veil had been draped over the school, robbing it of its color.

With a nod, Chloe motioned toward the dormitories. “Still sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

“I’ll be fine.” Max replied. To her, the answer had already become second nature. She did appreciate the gesture, but Chloe already worried enough, there was no point in burdening her even further.

Chloe scanned the area for a place to stop. “Yeah,” she said, “you keep saying that…” It came out sharper than she intended. She breathed an exasperated sigh. “I’m sorry...”

“It’s okay.” Max shot her an understanding glance. “You should be there when your mother gets home. She misses you.”

“I know, I know. I just… wanted to be sure.” She caught eye of an empty spot and pulled over. “But, I’ll see you later. Right?” she asked, easing the car into a parked position.

“Of course, you will. Don’t worry.”

Chloe flashed her a smile. “Just wanted to hear you say it.”

Max gave her head a slight shake. She unfastened her seatbelt and slung her bag’s strap over her shoulder. She grabbed the door handle, but after a moment of hesitation she let go, shifting to face Chloe. “Do you want me wait somewhere?” 

“Nah,” Chloe shook her head. “I’ll find you. Not my first time getting into the dorms.”

“Getting or breaking?”

“Bit of both,” Chloe smirked.

Max opened the door. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” She got out and adjusted her bag, letting her gaze linger on Blackwell Academy.

“Hey Max?” 

She brought her focus back to Chloe. “Yes?”

“Look, I don’t really know when I’ll be back, so…” Chloe scooted over to the passenger seat. “So, just sit tight, all right?”

“I will. Don’t worry,” Max answered. A woeful look crossed her face. “To be honest, I have no intention of leaving my room. I wish I could just stay in there.”

A sad smile moved across Chloe’s lips. She climbed out of the truck and stepped close to Max. Without saying word, she wrapped her arms around her friend, pulling her as close as possible. “I’ll try and hurry back as fast as I can, okay?” 

Max leaned against Chloe and relaxed into her embrace. For a moment, the world around her disappeared. “I’d like that.” Her voice became but a whisper.

“Good.” She gave Max a gentle squeeze. “I’m really looking forward to seeing the secret Max lair.”

Max smiled into Chloe’s shoulder. She was slow to step away, letting her hand graze past Chloe’s as she did. “If it’s secret, how are you going to find me?”

“Oh, I have my ways.” 

“I bet you do.” The smile on her face began to wane. “Thank you,” she said, as if she had to do so every time Chloe showed her affection.

“It’s fine,” Chloe replied, “you don’t need to keep thanking me.”

“Sorry…”

“Don’t be.” Her tone was soft and kind. “We went over this yesterday, remember?” After a moment of quiet, she sighed, looking at her truck. “But I guess it’s time to go...”

Max nodded weakly. “Say hello to Joyce from me, will you?”

“Will do.” Chloe got back into her truck. “See you soon Max.”

Max closed the door behind her. She took a step back and watched as Chloe guided the car out of the parking spot, and down the street, and ultimately out of her sight. She remained for several more seconds, clutching her own hands, and the longer Chloe was gone, the more her shoulders were being dragged toward the ground.

But at last, she crossed the street, and with a brisk pace she headed down the path that led to the dormitories.

The area was not as busy as the main yard, but even so, her eyes were all but fixed to the ground. Ever since she helped Kate, everyone knew who she was. Their looks were uncomfortable before, but now they were like needles piercing her skin.

She quietly shook her head. It was foolish to assume people were watching her. They had other things to worry about. No one would be paying attention to her now. No one would care. 

She rounded the corner of the building and passed through the gate.

“Max! Wait!”

She froze. Briefly closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. She straightened her back and turned around. Dana came jogging down the stairs behind her.

“Hi Dana,” she greeted the other girl as she got close.

“It is so good to see you!” Dana exclaimed. She opened her arms and gave Max a quick hug, catching her off-guard.

“Y-you too,” she stammered, shaking off the surprise. “I’m glad to see you are okay.”

“I am, but where were you? We were worried!”

Max broke eye contact. “Worried?” She rubbed her arm and peeked back at the dormitories.

“Well yes,” Dana said, “no one here has seen you since Thursday morning.” Her look was one of confusion. “And then came the storm and there’s still people missing. So of course, we were worried.”

“Oh… Yes, sorry. I… I was with a friend. I was save.” They began to walk and after a couple of seconds Max spoke up again. “What’s going on here? What happened?”

“Chaos,” Dana replied. “It was horrible. I was in class and it felt like the entire building was shaking. And now they are using the school as an emergency shelter. I’m actually trying to help, volunteer…” She shrugged. “But there’s only so much I can do.”

“That’s nice of you,” Max said. “I’m sure the people are grateful.”

“They don’t need to be.” She gave Max a smile. “You inspired me. Helping down Kate. Now I’m doing my part. So, no more standing by and watching.”

Max frowned, fidgeting with her bracelets. The irony was not lost on her. People being inspired by her actions, mere hours after she herself choose to let a tornado hit the town. “Listen, you said there’s people missing?” she asked, pulling herself out of her thoughts.

“Yes…” Dana nodded. “We haven’t heard from Evan or Alyssa. And Warren is also missing.”

“He’s in the hospital. Warren, I mean,” Max replied as they arrived at the dormitories entrance. 

“Oh. I guess that’s good news. Better than none in any case.” Dana let her shoulders slump. She opened the door and passed through, holding it open for Max. “Pretty much everyone else was here. Either in class, or still nursing their hangovers…” Her face dropped. “But there’s rumors going around that Samuel’s been killed when the roof of the swimming pool collapsed. Apparently, someone saw him being carried out.”

A twisted lump formed in Max’s throat. Her entire body felt heavier as she dragged herself up the stairs alongside Dana. She was aware such news would come eventually, but even so, she was not prepared. There was no escaping the fact that somebody had died. Somebody had died, because of her.

There was nowhere to run or hide.

And there was no Chloe. 

“Poor Samuel was probably cleaning up our mess,” Dana said. She stopped a couple of steps above Max and looked back at her. “There’s something else. You said you can keep a secret right?” 

“You know I do.” Max tried her best to keep a lid on the emotions bubbling inside her.

“Okay.” Dana resumed scaling the stairs. She lowered her voice. “Earlier there were cops searching Jefferson’s office. I overheard them talk. Apparently, he killed Nathan. Jefferson. Do you know something? Do you think he had anything to do with Kate? You were, you know…” 

“Investigating?” The cold shiver from the night before was back again, enveloping Max.

“Yes.” Dana said, entering the girl’s dorms. “So?”

“I don’t know anything” There was only one person in Arcadia Bay she was ready to confide in. And she was not even sure of that.

“It’s all so surreal,” Dana said as she unlocked the door to her room. “It’s not why I ever came to this school. At least right now it can’t get any worse.” 

“I know exactly what you mean.”

“You would, wouldn’t you.” Dana offered her a sympathetic smile. She paused and motioned her hand toward her room. “This is my stop. It’s been good to see you Max. If you want to talk some more later, I’ll be around.”

Max nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Okay. Well, see you later.” Dana waved her hand and disappeared into her room.

As soon as the door was closed, Max hastened down the corridor. She hoped to avoid further contact, and she had luck. No one else was around, and she was able to slip into the safety of her room.

She nudged the door shut and scanned the room. She was presented with an unfamiliar familiarity. Dana had been correct when she said that Max had not been here in more than two days, and even Max herself was not sure when she had left. 

Her mind drifted, beginning to replay Dana’s words, but her eyes locked onto something in the corner of the room.

“Shit!” she hissed. She rushed over to where she had left the cage with Kate’s bunny. She dropped to her knees. Alice was lying in a corner, unmoving. Only a handful straws of hay were left, and the water bottle was empty. 

Her heart was racing. “No, no, please!” She grabbed the cage and began unhooking the bottom, fumbling with the latches. Kate would never forgive her. She was about to yank the top part of the cage off, when the bunny sprang awake.

“Oh god…” She let out a deep breath of relief. “Oh, thank god…” Her knees were shaking. She crumpled to the floor, supporting her back against the radiator. Clenching her eyes, she let her head hit the cold metal.

She took a series of long breaths, trying to calm down. She slowly forced her eyes back open. In front of her, Rachel’s plaid shirt was lying on her bed, and a picture was next to it. She twisted her head, leaning forward, squinting to get a better look. It was a familiar picture. Her and Chloe, when they younger, dressed as pirates. They looked happy, smiling.

Another life, long gone.

She balled her fists. A look of disdain took hold of her face. Why? Why was she given a power, if all it did, was bring pain and hurt? Was it all some cruel joke? A test? Or Punishment?

It did not matter. The outcome would be the same.

Her head slammed against the radiator. Tears began to drip down past her cheeks.

  


#### * * *

  


Chloe reached over and grabbed the ashtray from her desk. She stubbed out her cigarette and sat back down on the window sill, reclining against the frame. She exhaled slowly, letting the last of the smoke escape out the open window. 

Her phone had died during the night, and after a couple hours back home, there was still no news from her mother, or David for that matter.

Her gaze wandered. Outside, neighbors were already starting to clean up, some even doing minor repairs on their houses. Treetops were swaying in the wind, and the muffled sound of rustling leaves blended with the quiet music emanating from the old radio she had found years ago at the junkyard. 

She used to sit here in days gone by, spinning wild tales in her head. Most of them involved her escape with Rachel, and a new life far away from Arcadia Bay. All that time she had dreamt of her future, of their future, all the while being stuck in the past, never quite being able to let go.

Her father. Rachel. They were gone, and she was still here, and there was no changing what happened. 

But Arcadia Bay looked different now. It looked like home. And for the first time in years, there was a reason for her to stay.

The corners of her mouth formed a smile. She closed her eyes, drifting away. 

But not before long, a voice pulled her from the trance-like state she had entered.

_After the devastating tornado that hit Arcadia Bay yesterday morning, authorities are still mounting search and rescue missions in the areas affected. The latest reports talk of more than seventy-three confirmed casualties, and more than three-hundred people…_

Chloe pushed herself off the window sill, landing hard on her feet. It was not the first time she had heard these news, and every time she did, her mind was drawn more and more back to Blackwell. To Max.

_…the Arcadia Bay police department expects cell service to be restored over the course of this afternoon, with power following on Monday at the earliest in less affected areas. Experts are unsure as to how a storm of this magnitude could have formed, especially given the underlying conditions. It is only the last in a series of-_

Chloe turned off the radio and tossed it onto her bed. She followed suit, slumping down and staring idly at the ceiling. It was all still sinking in. She was given a second chance at life. Max had gone through hell and back for her, and no matter what she kept saying, Max was hurting, and alone.

Chloe frowned, her expression hardening.

She jumped up and grabbed a sheet of paper from her desk. She scribbled a note on the back of it and snatched her car keys. Sliding into her jacket, she rushed out of the room and down the stairs.

She was not going to leave Max alone with the pain. Not now. Not ever.

It was time to live in the present.


	6. New Beginnings

“Hey! I’m back,” Chloe called out as she knocked on the door to Max’s room. Her heart had been racing ever since she got out of her truck, and every second of waiting in the corridor only made it worse. 

For a second time her knuckles made contact with the door, the dull sound echoing through the empty hall. “Max? Are you in there?” She raised her voice just enough to avoid drawing attention from the other dorm residents. After a few moments there was still no response, and anticipation made way for worry.

She glanced down the corridor and raised her fist. She was about to knock for a third time, when the door flung wide open, and Max threw herself into her arms. 

“Woah, Max!” Chloe stumbled back a couple of paces, but without hesitation she folded her arms around her friend, drawing her close. “Is living next to that stuck up bitch Victoria really that bad?”

A low chuckle escaped Max’s lips. “Oh, shut up,” she said with a brittle voice. After holding each other for several long seconds, she broke their embrace and pulled Chloe into the privacy of her room. Her eyes were blood-shot and puffy, a handful of tears still making their way down her reddened cheeks. And yet, she wore a smile on her face. “I’m just so happy to see you.”

Chloe cupped Max’s face in her hands, and with a gentle brush of her thumb she wiped away the remaining tears. “So am I,” she said softly, gazing deep into the brunette’s eyes. For a second, she could have sworn that Max ever so lightly leaned into her hand, and so her touch lingered for a few instants more. “I’m here if you want to talk.”

“I know...” Max’s smile grew smaller and smaller, until at last it vanished. “I know.”

It had only been little more than a day, but Chloe already came to expect Max’s words and reactions. She saw the pain, its familiar and unrelenting hold. The dark clouds of sadness Max carried with her. The guilt that came from an impossible choice. However, she also saw the spark beyond. She saw strength and courage which had saved her life. But her own experiences had thought her, that every now and then something else was needed to help someone. Not strength, not courage. Something much simpler.

“How ‘bout we just hang out?” Chloe asked, placing her hands on Max’s arms. “You know, like we used to.”

Max’s smile returned, tugging on her lips as she looked up at Chloe. “Like when we were kids.”

Chloe rubbed Max’s arms. “ _Exactly_.” She moved past her and spun around. "And today nothing is stopping us. No school, no parents. So, let’s start with a tour of the secret lair. Come on.”

“Well, it’s not much to show. But it’s mine.” Max sat on her bed, keeping her back against the wall. The sheets were crumpled up in a pile, and some of the pillows were strewn across the floor. She watched as Chloe inspected the room. “You may even recognize some of my things.”

“Yeah, some of it… I like your room. It’s cute.” She turned to face Max. “Very _you_. Especially this.” She pointed at the wall behind Max. “You’ve been very busy. I bet each of those has an awesome story behind it.”

“Some of them.”

“Well…” Chloe struggled out of her jacket, bounding over to the bed and sitting down next to Max. “Tell me about them.” She was more than happy to indulge Max. Her desire to distract and cheer up her friend blended with genuine interest, multiplied by both her yearning to make up for lost time, and her own wish for closeness.

Max’s expression turned into a slight frown.

“Come on, I mean it.” Chloe gave Max a shoulder bump. “Please, don’t make me beg.”

After a few moments Max’s frown disappeared, and a small and mischievous grin replaced it.

“Oh...” Chloe’s mouth fell open as recognition dawned on her face. “I see what you’re doing Caulfield. I see how you roll.”

“What can I say. I like to hear you beg.”

“You know, that’s just evil…” Chloe gave her a playful shove onto the pile of bed sheets, offering a grin of her own.

“Hey!” Max giggled.

“You asked for it. Now, scoot over, pretty please,” she asked as she laid down close to Max, propping her head up on a pillow. 

“So.” Chloe’s eyes wandered over the wall above. “Tell me about… that one.” She pointed at a picture. “Looks like an art exhibition of some kind?”

Max nodded. “First one I ever went to. Dad took me a few weeks after we first got to Seattle. I think he was bored out of his mind, but he took me because I had some trouble adjusting, and he wanted to take my mind off things.”

“Did it work?”

“I guess. For a while, after moving, I had stopped taking pictures. This managed to motivate me enough to start again.” She sighed, and a thoughtful look crossed her face. “But maybe I was hiding behind my camera for all those years.”

“You were doing what you loved, right? I see nothing wrong with that.”

“At least someone approves.”

“Of course I do. It’s all pretty awesome in my book, actually. And for what it’s worth,” Chloe nodded toward the pictures. “I love these. It’s kinda like your own personal exhibition.”

“Thanks. It is.” Max’s mind seemed to wander for a bit. “And you’re right,” she said, a hint of determination in her voice returning. “Like I said, I had a blast. I was happy.”

“It’s what you do. If you ever stop taking pictures we all got a problem.” Chloe’s eyes were glowing bright as she smiled at Max. “Anyway… Speaking of pictures…”

Max gave Chloe a look of confusion. “What?”

Chloe leaped off the bed, landing on her feet. “Where’s your camera?”

“It’s in my bag. There. On the desk.”

“I was thinking…” Chloe said as she started rifling through Max’s messenger bag, “There are some empty spots on your wall that need to be filled.” She skipped back over to the bed, camera in hand. “And since I’ve got you right there, why not start right now?” She laid back down next to Max. “May I?”

“Of course!” Max scooted closer. “You know I’d never pass this up.”

“Then walk me through this.” Chloe held out the camera at arm’s length above them. “How does this look?”

“You’re a natural.” 

“Plus, I’ve also got the best teacher in the world.” She wrapped her free arm around Max’s shoulder. “Now, give me that smile,” she said, and after an instant the camera’s flash went off. 

“Here.” Chloe handed Max the new picture, shaking it a little the way she had seen her do it. “Now you have to find a spot on your wall.”

“No.” Max shook her head, pushing back Chloe’s hand. “You keep it. It’s your first picture of us back together. I want you to have it.” 

“Really?” Chloe asked as she placed the camera on the floor, and out of their way.

“Yes really. We have time to fill the wall, but this picture is something special, so you should take it.”

Chloe’s face lit up even more as her eyes wandered back and forth between Max and the picture. “I’ll make sure it gets an equally special place.” Her entire posture relaxed as she held on to the photo, a shallow sigh escaping her. “You know, this totally brings me back to when we were kids, hanging out at your place. We’d take pictures, and then we’d just make up these stories and shit about all those adventures we’d go on one day.”

“I remember,” Max laid her head on Chloe’s shoulder. “Eventually we would go to your house, and act it all out, playing pirates and such, because my folks were never as relaxed as yours.”

“Yeah. We had to fuck up bad for them to get angry didn’t we.”

“We did. But even if they got angry, you never cared.”

“What kind of self-respecting pirate would? Won’t have some landlubber tell me what to do.” Chloe’s tone was as boisterous and full of happiness as her facial expressions were over the top. As she spoke, she heard and felt Max snicker into her shoulder. The sound was music to her ears, and while she understood, even anticipated, that it was only temporary, Max’s demeanor gave her hope.

“I’m so glad we’re back together Max.”

“Me too…” Max’s voice trailed off. She clenched her jaw, swallowing hard and breathing a deep sigh. “I’m sorry I never called you. I know I should have, and I wish I could have done things differently. It’s no excuse, but when we moved, I simply didn’t know what to do.”

“Look…” Chloe took Max’s hand, her tone changing. “Yes, maybe you should have called, and yes, maybe it would have changed things. All those years I was angry at everything. You, mom, dad, hell for a while I wanted the whole world to go fuck itself. And there’s still stuff I’m angry about, but you’re not one of them.” She rested her head against Max, tightening her grip on her hand. She wanted to reassure Max, to show her how she felt. “I don’t want to be angry at you anymore. So, please let’s not dwell on it, all right?”

Max nodded weakly. “All right… Feels like a new beginning.”

“That’s because it is. We’re back together.” For a moment Chloe was lost in thought. “We should catch up,” she said, her liveliness making a comeback. “You know, instead on dwelling on the bad, we have five years’ worth of stuff to talk about, and some of that has to be good.”

“Five years is a lot of stuff,” Max said matter-of-factly, as if a daunting task lay ahead of her.

“We have a lot of time. Or did you make plans without me?” Chloe teased.

“Never.” Max smiled. “There’s no place I’d rather be.” 

For more than two hours they laid there, talking about those five years. They started at the beginning of it all, the day Max had to leave, and in time their conversation made its way toward that one fateful meeting in the parking lot. They talked about all those things they never got to do, the things they never got to see, and all the things they now had time for. Both chose to omit the darker moments of their lives, and in their stead, ideas were tossed around, new plans were made in the heat of the moment, and in the end it felt as if no time had passed at all.

Amidst it all, Chloe managed to keep Max’s thoughts drawn away from the past few days, and by extension her own ones as well. Laughs sounded through the room, here and there little touches were felt, their hands and fingers locked together almost the entire time. Neither of them consciously paid attention to it, but over the course of these hours they seemed, in many ways, to grow even closer, and for a while the world outside Max’s room ceased to exist.

It was a soft buzz which at last broke not only their ongoing conversation, but also the state they had found themselves in. Reluctantly, Max lifted her head from Chloe’s shoulder and sat up, looking around the room, surprised at the sudden noise.

Chloe stretched her limbs, yawning. “Dude, how did your phone last this long.”

“I think it barely did.” Max reached for the phone lying on her drawer. “Shit…” she said as saw the display. “In all this chaos I completely forgot.”

“What’s going on?” Chloe scrambled up. She looked over Max’s shoulder and saw the caller. “You couldn’t have called, there was no service.”

“Yeah, but still.” Max got up and answered the call. “Hey mom. Hi dad.”

  


#### * * *

  


“Yes… I love you too mom. Yes... _Yes_... Okay... I’ll call you as soon as I can, okay? Good... bye...” Max hung up, and with a sigh she let herself fall back onto her bed.

“Trouble with the folks?” Chloe asked after overhearing the conversation.

Max shrugged. “They said I could come home for a while, especially now. And dad keeps telling me I could look for a school back in Seattle.”

"Why would he do that?" Chloe, still lying on the bed, turned to face Max. She was momentarily consumed by worry and fear, but she knew better than to put further strain on Max. "I mean... they let you come here, so why have you go back?"

"He thinks I'd be better off back home, and in another school." Max explained. She shook her head before continuing. "It actually took a lot of convincing from mom to let me come to Blackwell."

“Well, go mom.”

“Yeah… But if they hear about…” Max paused, taking a breath. “Well, you know… I fear they’ll come and drag me back home, no matter what.”

“Don’t worry.” Chloe offered her a smile, quickly banishing the thought of Max leaving. “They gotta get past me first. And if they ever do, I’ll have no choice but to drag you back. Like this.” She grabbed Max’s arm and gently pulled her closer.

“At least you not going to chain me to a tree or something.”

Chloe’s brow furrowed a little. “It might be worth considering. I’ll get back to you on that one.”

Max chuckled as she turned her head to look at Chloe. “It’s good to know you have my best interests at heart.”

“It’s what I do.” Chloe’s hand moved up and down along Max’s arm. “But seriously, I’m sure they’ll understand.”

“I hope.” Max’s gaze followed Chloe’s hand, and after a while it wandered to the ceiling. Silence ensued, the comfortable atmosphere of earlier returning bit by bit.

“Can I ask you something?” Chloe said after some minutes. A thought had crossed her mind, and it was not for the first time it had done so. It was there earlier when they talked about their past years. It was one of many, and most of them involved Max.

“Of course.” Max brought her attention back to Chloe.

“It’s about your power.” Chloe’s words sounded careful and deliberate. “I’ve been wondering. If you got them because we are somehow linked, do you think you still have them? Now that we’re here… Or have you tried?” 

The way Max shook her head answered at least the second part of Chloe’s question. “I don’t know,” she said. “After what happened I don’t want to find out. Because what if I do? What if I still have them? If I rewind and something happens again I…” She pulled Chloe’s hand from her arm, holding it in a tight grip. “I don’t want to find out. I’d rather not know at all, than know that it’s still there.”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Chloe assured her. “I didn’t mean to upset-”

“No more powers,” Max interrupted her, giving Chloe’s hand a firm squeeze. “You can’t get in anymore trouble. We have to be careful.”

“Okay.” Chloe nodded, holding Max’s hand. “No more powers. No more trouble, I promise. I promise you will never have to find out.”

Chloe’s words eased the grasp Max had on her. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I can’t risk losing you again.”

“You won’t. I promise.” Chloe’s lips once again curved into a small smile. “Though no powers means we may have to postpone our plans for world domination.”

“We’ll start small,” Max replied. She propped her head up by her elbow, meeting Chloe’s gaze. “I feel like you’ve changed,” she said after a few seconds, her voice now again soft and calm. “It’s only been a day, but I can see it.” 

“Maybe… Old Chloe is still there, but you could say she had a revelation.”

“She did?”

“Yes.” Chloe’s finger traced circles on the back of Max’s hand. “I meant what I said at the lighthouse. You came back to me and you showed me nothing but friendship and love, like no one ever could. Despite… despite all that happened, this week has been the best, the happiest of my life. There’s no place _I_ would rather be.” Her tone quivered as emotions welled up inside her. “And it’s all because of you.” 

She forced her eyes shut, for a moment breaking their gazes to stop tears that were fighting for their release. “Call me selfish or whatever, but I am so, so happy to be here. And I realize it’s hard on you, but I’m here for you. Whatever you need, I am here. Because you gave me _this_.” The first drops were rolling down her cheeks. “So, thank you Max. For Everything.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I… I saw you die so many times this week. By my own hands even, and… I… I couldn’t do it, not again. And you’re right, it hurts. It hurts like hell, but… but you would have died in that bathroom, afraid, angry and… alone. You would not have known how much I…” She paused and wiped away the tears on Chloe’s face, just as Chloe had done for her. “How much people care and love you.”

Max’s words conjured up a swirl of emotions inside Chloe. She gazed deep into the blue eyes in front of her, seeing everything she adored so much. She reached out, and with a tender slowness she caressed Max’s cheek, feeling the warmth and softness of her skin against her hand. “Max, I don’t know what to say, I… I…” She was at a loss for words, certain of only one thing.

“You don’t have to say anything. We’re here now, like we said it’s a new beginning.” Max smiled as she leaned into Chloe’s hand, and this time Chloe was sure of it, she saw it, she felt it. “I will have to live with what I did, but I at least I won’t have to do it alone.”

A jolt coursed through Chloe’s body. It gave her that final push. She leaned in close, drawn toward Max. As the remaining inches between them melted away, her heart began to dance in her chest. She gave Max a gentle and tentative tug, finding no resistance.

“Not while I’m here.” It was the softest of whispers. “Never.”

Her lips brushed against Max’s cheek, the light feeling of her breath against her skin sending shivers up and down her spine. Their lips met, the sensation faint and soft at first, before slowly deepening and drawing them in completely.


	7. What Do You Think?

_I will never be able to give her the happiness she deserves._

Ever since the storm, Max had built a wall around her heart. Doubt and guilt were its bricks, fear its mortar.

She doubted she could ever bring Chloe true happiness. She doubted she could ever bring back the girl who used to laugh and smile without a care in the world. She doubted she could ever be enough for her.

_This week has been the happiest of my life._

She felt the guilt of a five-year long silence. She felt the guilt of leaving the most important person in her life alone during the time she needed her the most. She felt the guilt of now dragging her along, and with her into the abyss.

_There is no place I’d rather be._

She feared she could hurt her again. She feared what could happen if she did. Most of all, she feared she could lose Chloe forever.

_And it’s all because of you._

However, the wall had already begun to crack. Her heart was fighting back, and it got help from Chloe. Her words and her actions these past hours chipped away at it piece by piece, until nothing but rubble was left.

The kiss took care of the rest. It washed over Max like a warm breeze, carrying away the doubts, the guilts and the fears she had been harboring. It was a cleansing force, and it gave her the confirmation that they shared the feelings she had tried to wall up.

After a long moment their lips parted, and Max’s eyes fluttered back open. She was gazing straight at Chloe, the blue color of her irises sparkling like an ocean reflecting the sun on a beautiful day. There were still teardrops crawling down her face, but she was smiling. 

It was a smile Max had not seen in a long time.

In a gentle motion, Chloe rested her forehead against Max’s. Her hand was still cupping Max’s face, lingering below her ear, her thumb caressing her cheek, the movement slow and deliberate. Their breaths mingled, and for several seconds they simply lay there, gazing at each other, taking in what had transpired.

“Max…” Chloe was first to speak up. Her voice was low and breathy, almost a whisper, but crammed full of determination. “I love you.” 

Within an instant the words sunk in, and a feeling took hold of Max’s heart. The feeling of an emptiness being filled. 

Every single one of Chloe’s words was tinged with love and affection, every single syllable striking Max in the exact right spot. Without a sign of hesitation, without a second thought, she clasped Chloe’s face between her hands, pulling her back toward her. And, for a second time this afternoon, their lips met.

The kiss was just as sweet and tender as the one before. It was filled with love and affection, and it said more than Max’s words ever could. The comforting warmth returned, flooding her body once again. Amidst it all, the pleasant sting of joyful tears touched her eyes, and as the sensations amplified, everything around her disappeared, until nothing but Chloe was left.

After many long seconds, they backed off again. 

Chloe’s mouth fell open ever so slightly as the last seconds started to sink in, and, bit by bit her surprise was replaced. A series of shallow breaths escaped her, and every fiber of her being beamed at Max with overwhelming happiness. “Holy-”

“Chloe, I love you.” Max interrupted, the urge to share her emotions too great. Her hands started to glide down along Chloe’s cheeks. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I don’t know what I would do without you and am so fortunate to have you in my life and I just…” She brought their hands together, the words spilling out of her at a frantic pace, as if there was not enough time to tell Chloe how she felt. “I just love you so much.”

Chloe gave their locked fingers a squeeze, her smile still going strong. “I love you too,” she said, her tone just as calm and relaxing as before. “You are perfect. You have no idea how happy you make me.” Their foreheads touched again as she tried to reduce the distance between them to a minimum. “You are my everything Max. You are my home.”

A light chuckle came out of Max, mixing itself into quiet sobs of joy. “I don’t know how you do it. After all you went through, after everything that happened, you are still so strong. I don’t think I could have done all this without you.”

“You’re stronger than you think Max. Everything you did proves that. After all, I owe my life to you.” Chloe guided Max’s hand to her lips and planted a soft kiss on her fingers. “I am here because of you, and you won’t have to be alone. Together always, remember?”

Tears, and smiles fought for control of Max’s face. It was happiness they had in common. “Always,” she said, burying her head in the crook of Chloe’s neck. “And I promise we’ll make up for every moment we lost. Every single one.”

Chloe wrapped her arms around Max, drawing her into an embrace. “We’ve already started.” She nuzzled into Max’s hair, herself seemingly drawing strength and comfort from the closeness. “But c’mon, we’re together. I think there’s been enough tears today.”

“I know, you’re right. I’m sorry. It’s just that…” Max’s voice became less muffled as she turned her head to lean against Chloe’s shoulder. “I… I feel like everything is going to be all right. Maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow. Maybe it will take a long time, but at some point, it will.” She wiped away the tears, leaving only her smile as Chloe’s words came back to her. “And it’s all because of you.”

“It will. I promise. I’ll be right there with you.” She kissed the top of Max’s head. Brushing against her she slowly pulled away, smirking as she did. “Look at you, making me mushy mess. This is all your fault Caulfield.”

“Oh, you like it.” A small laugh left Max. “You always have.”

“You got me there,” Chloe admitted. “But, you are making it even worse.” She rolled onto her back, keeping Max close, her attention never leaving her. “So…”

“So?”

“Seems we have been having the same thoughts.”

“Yeah...” Max draped her arms around Chloe. “It felt right,” she said, pulling herself as close as possible, once again resting against the taller girl. Her mind went back to the kisses they had just shared, and as it did, Chloe began stroking her arm, her fingers trailing along her skin, a sense of immense comfort and safety radiating through Max. Everything felt so new, so exciting, and yet, everything felt so natural, so familiar.

So right.

Max’s eyes followed the motion of Chloe’s hand. “Still does,” she said, “I feel like it makes sense though. Us, I mean. Like, this is…”

“Destiny?”

Max nodded. “Yes.”

Chloe continued her caresses, the motions happening without a second thought. “I like to think we would have ended up here one way or another.” She smiled at the thought, but there was an underlying sadness to the statement that she, like so often these past couple of days, chose to hide for Max’s benefit.

“Me too,” Max replied. She closed her eyes, her breathing slow and steady. “It feels nice.”

“It does,” Chloe whispered.

Their conversation trailed off, and the last tears still been clinging to them vanished. A comfortable silence followed, sunrays filtering through the blinds and bathing them in the glow of a late afternoon sun as they lay there holding each other. Their shadows stretched across the room, and only every now and then, rustling sounds coming from Alice’s cage disturbed the stillness.

For a while, Chloe’s gaze wandered over the room, but in the end, it was always drawn back to Max, and in a similar vein, the brunette seemed to all but melt into her, so tightly was she clutching herself to Chloe. 

“You know,” Chloe broke the silence, “you’re doing much better than I did when I had my first kiss. I was a bumbling idiot, but you are just…” She smiled, giving Max an adoring look as she paused for emphasis. “Perfect.”

“Really?” Max frowned, the temperature in her cheeks beginning to rise. She gave her head a weak shake. “No, you couldn’t be, even if you tried.”

“I really was. Just stood there, talking crap. But can’t say that I don’t appreciate the vote of confidence.”

“You’re welcome.” Max hesitated for a moment, then lifted her head from Chloe’s shoulder. “You are perfect as well. You make it easy.”

“See…” Chloe said, shaking her head in disbelief. “That’s what I mean. And you even look damn cute doing it. It’s-” 

“Perfect?” Max asked sheepishly.

A playful grin made itself known on Chloe’s face. “Yeah… And speaking of first kisses…” She gave Max a curious look, her inflection matching her demeanor. “How did you like yours?”

It seemed Chloe was not about to be beat at her own game without at least showing some resistance. “Couldn’t you tell?” Max teased back, easing up on the hold she had on Chloe. Every single one of these moments spent with Chloe made her feel a little safer and braver, all her worries, at least for now, creeping back from whence they came. She savored the warmth, the closeness, the gentle touches, the affection that oozed out of everything Chloe said and did. “You know that technically though it wasn’t the first.”

“That one doesn’t count.” 

“Too short?”

“Too one-sided.” Chloe’s grin grew wider as she sat up, the mattress creaking beneath them. She took advantage of the looser grasp Max had on her, changing their positions and pulling her up alongside with her. She bit her lip and wanted to lean in close, but watched as Max recoiled, her cheeks turning to an even brighter red. Chloe stopped, her brows narrowing. “Is everything okay?” 

“It is. Please don’t get me wrong…” Max’s voice disappeared as she searched for the right words. “You’re amazing, and you help me so much, but this is all still new to me, and I don’t... I don’t know quite how to deal with it yet.”

Chloe offered her a warm smile. “You need some time.”

“Yes.” Her lips grew taut, forming a grimace as she broke eye contact for a moment. “I kissed you earlier because… well you made it hard not to. And I would do it again. I want this, I really do, but let’s not rush it, please.”

“I get it.” Chloe nodded. “Don’t worry, it’s okay. Just, you know, kick me or something when I’m too much.” She gave Max a little nudge. “Not too hard though.”

“Will do.” Max chuckled, the sound tiny. “Sorry if I ruined the mood.”

“You didn’t. I want you to take all the time you need. And for now, we can always go back to this.” She propped up the pillows, and with a loving slowness she pulled Max back down, slinging her arm over her shoulder. “What do you think?”

Max placed a quick peck on Chloe’s cheek before snuggling back up into her embrace. “That I hella love you.”


	8. A Broken Cocoon

A deep yawn escaped Max as she stirred awake. Her eyes remained closed for a moment longer, as if she were undecided whether she should make an honest attempt at shaking of the drowsiness, or drift back to the peaceful sleep she had been enjoying.

“Hey you, welcome back.” The mellow sounds of Chloe’s whispers tickled Max’s ears, making it easy to decide. “You made it just in time.”

Her eyes blinked open, and indeed it was just in time to catch the last traces of sunlight creeping toward the horizon. Orange color seeped into the sky, and slivers of golden light slipped into the room and over the bed, dipping both in their soft glow and gentle warmth. 

“Hey…” she replied, her voice matching Chloe’s tone. The corners of her lips curved upward as she came to find her bearings. She was curled up against Chloe, her head nestled right beneath the girl’s chin, and her arms draped around her body, holding her as close as ever. “It’s beautiful.” A pleasant shiver surged through her as she felt the sensation of Chloe’s lips touching her head. 

“It really is.” Chloe tightened the hold she had on Max. “Never thought I’d be one for admiring a sunset.” She nuzzled into Max’s hair and planted another kiss. “But I guess, you really do bring out my soft side.”

Max chuckled, gazing out of the window. A large flock of birds danced against the colorful backdrop. “I happen to like your soft side.”

“Like?” Chloe feigned disappointment.

“Love.”

“There you go. That’s better.”

Max shook her head a little, and settled back into Chloe’s embrace, allowing herself to relish in the comfort for a little while longer. The two of them watched in silence as the sunlight vanished, and during all that time, Max’s smile never waned, and Chloe’s little displays of love never stopped.

After twilight had taken hold of the sky, Max was the one who rose first. She groaned as she stretched away the weariness. “How long was I asleep?” she asked, shuffling to the edge of the bed.

Chloe shrugged. “I dunno. An hour maybe? It wasn’t that long.” She eased herself up, mimicking Max’s movements to sit next to her. “I didn’t want to wake you up. I know you… didn’t exactly get much sleep last night.” 

“Chloe… That’s so sweet of you.”

“Anything for you.” She flashed Max an adoring smile, that not before long, it turned into one of her sly grins. “Also, you looked _hella_ cute. All snuggled up to me like that. It… was a really nice feeling actually.”

“I uh…” Max had every intention to reply, but Chloe had managed to once again summon the crimson color to her cheeks. She averted her gaze, hoping that the dimness that now dominated the room would mask her. “I hope I didn’t drool all over you.”

“Don’t worry, you didn’t.” Chloe squinted and leaned forward, attempting to see what Max was hiding. She let out a small laugh. “Y’know, it’s weird. We kiss, and you’re doing fine. We cuddle, and you’re fine. I compliment you, and you start glowing red.” There was a teasing, yet loving quality to how she spoke. “So… Is this going to happen every time? ‘Cause it’s also very cute.”

“No.” Max brought her attention back to Chloe. She tried her best to sound convincing, but the small grin on her face betrayed her.

“Oh, really.” Chloe scooted closer. “You’re _cute_.”

“Chloe…”

“And _very_ adorable.”

“Chloe!” Max’s grin grew wider.

“And you’re beautiful,” Chloe said in an overly dramatic fashion. She pointed at the window. “Just like that sunset.”

Max could not help but start giggling. “No, I’m not!” she exclaimed. The heat from her cheeks had now crept up to her ears, tinting them in the same color. 

Chloe poked her in the ribs. “Yes, you are, Max.”

“No!” Max clasped her face, trying to cover up her embarrassment. She broke into a fit of laughter as Chloe poked her again. “Stop it!”

“Why?” Chloe gripped Max’s shoulder and pushed her back down onto the bed. “You look like you’re having fun.” 

Max rolled onto her side, burying her head in her hands, and squirming beneath Chloe’s playful assault. “No, please!”

“You’re impossible,” Chloe said, poking her a final time. Max was slow to calm down, but Chloe waited, eyeing her lovingly the entire time. As Max came to her senses, Chloe offered her a warm smile, along with a shake of her head. “It’s not like I’ve never called you those things before.”

The flush that had spread across Max’s cheeks crawled back, and the beat of her heart returned to a normal pace. A few heavy breaths left her. “It’s different now.” Chloe was hovering over her, the blue hair cascading down her face. “You know that.”

“You’re right, I do. That’s why it matters. I meant everything I just said, and you’d better get used to it.”

“No,” Max said, a hint of a coy grin still present.

“What?” 

“No,” Max repeated, taking an instant to enjoy the dumbfounded look Chloe wore. “I… I never want to get used to this. I never want to get used to waking up next to you. I never want to get used to hearing that you love me.” She reached up and brushed away a strand of hair from Chloe’s face. “Most of all though. I never want to get used to telling you that _I love you_.”

Upon hearing Max’s words, Chloe’s smile grew and grew, until it reached an almost impossible size. “God damn Max, I love you.” She lunged toward her, stopping only inches away. “I love you so fucking much.”

Maybe it was the lightning, maybe it was the angle, Max was not sure, but as her eyes locked with Chloe’s, there was one particular thought whirling around her head. Maybe this had been the case for Chloe earlier as well. “You’re uh… really pretty,” she said, sharing it with Chloe.

“Well thank you.” Chloe smirked. “And, like I said…” Her breath, and her husky voice washed over Max as she leaned ever closer. “You’re not so bad yourself Caulfield. Now, are you letting me hang or what?” She was close enough that their noses were now touching. “Or do I have to beg?”

“Not this time.” Max closed the remaining distance between them, and gently pressed their lips together. “I love you,” she said, interrupting their kiss for but an instant.

“Love you too,” Chloe replied, her fingers running through Max’s hair. Her lips parted again, but as she drew Max back in, a couple of timid knocks on the door sounded through the room. Chloe stopped. She jolted up and glanced at the door, then back at Max. “Are you expecting anyone?” she whispered.

“No.” Max shook her head, herself glancing past Chloe.

“Do you wanna answer it? Because I can think of an alternative.” Chloe grinned, leaning in toward Max once again. 

There was another set of knocks, followed by a small, muffled voice. “Uh Max? Are you there? It’s me, Kate.”

“Crap.” Chloe’s shoulders dropped half-way to the ground. “Looks like the outside world is back.” With a heavy sigh she rolled off the bed, landing on her feet. 

Max pushed herself up to a sitting position. “Yeah… I really should get that one.”

“Max?” Kate asked once more.

“I’m here. I’m coming,” Max called out. Chloe offered her a hand and helped her up. “Thanks.” She straightened her clothes and hurried over the door. For a moment, she fidgeted with the key, throwing a peek at Chloe, hoping that Kate’s arrival had not changed her good mood. 

“Go ahead. I’m okay,” Chloe mouthed. “Be there for your friend.”

Max flashed her an appreciative smile. She turned the key and pulled the door open. 

Kate was standing a few feet away, as if she were about to leave. She was holding a rather large flashlight, staring down the hallway, all while playing with the cross on her necklace. She was wearing the typical attire Max had come to associate her with, though she had changed the skirt for a pair of jeans. Her focus sprang back to Max, and her face lit up. 

“Max! I’m so happy to see you. I was so worried.” Kate opened her arms wide, ready to draw Max into a hug, but she noticed the tall, lanky figure standing behind the girl. “Oh… sorry…” She stopped dead in her tracks, surveying Chloe. Her eyes lingered on both the intricate tattoo that adorned Chloe’s arm, as well as the blue hair that covered her head. “I’m sorry. I thought you were alone. Dana told me she saw you earlier.”

“No, no, it’s okay.” Max waved her in. “This is Chloe.”

“Yo,” Chloe greeted, with a lazy wave of her hand.

“H-hi,” Kate replied.

Max did not know what to say next. Kate’s discomfort was clear to see, but in addition, she herself was unsure how to introduce Chloe, not after the afternoon they had spent together. “Chloe is…” Max continued, fumbling with her words.

“I’m an old friend,” Chloe jumped in. She plucked her jacket from the sofa. “And, I’ll chill outside for a while.” She whipped around, keeping her back to Kate for a moment. She winked at Max and blew her a kiss, before turning to face the door again. “Leave you two to catch up.”

Kate stepped aside, letting Chloe stride past. She watched and stayed silent, until the door was closed behind them. “I… I think I saw your friend once before.” she said, her fingers clenching the flashlight. “She was putting up those missing person posters. She seems… nice.” 

“She is.” Max placed a hand on Kate’s arm. “She helped us a lot this week. You know with… Nathan.”

“Oh...” Kate’s expression took on an even more somber look. “I didn’t realize you told anyone.” She threw a glance back at the door.

“She’s on our team.” Max tried her best to sound reassuring. “You can trust her, Kate.”

“I trust you Max. That’s why… I believe you…” Kate said, sounding like she still harbored some doubt. “Anyway… It’s so good to see you again. I was worried you got hurt in that horrible storm. I tried calling you after I left the hospital, but nothing worked.”

“Yes, there’s been a lot of that going around.” Max sat down, patting the space next to her. “But I’m fine, and you look great Kate.”

“Thank you, I think I am. I’m still so grateful that you came to talk me down.” She sat down next to Max. “I will never be able to thank you enough. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“Let’s not think about that, shall we?” Max offered her a smile. “You are alive, and we all love you Kate.”

“Not everyone… I was told about Nathan and Mr. Jefferson. I don’t know if you heard.” 

“I have.”

Kate breathed a sigh. “I believe Nathan should have been punished for what he did, but not like that.” She shook her head, looking at the ground. “And yet, faith tells me this is what was supposed to happen, that it was god’s will. But after this week… I’m not so sure what to believe.” She heaved another deep sigh. “My mother even said that the storm was punishment for Arcadia Bay’s sins.”

Max began playing with her wristbands, apprehensive of the direction the conversation was going. “I take it you don’t agree.”

“I don’t know... I have a lot to think about.” Kate became quiet. Some long, uncomfortable seconds of silence followed. “I only know that what happened makes me feel sick and gross. To think that Mr. Jefferson even sent me a card.”

Max felt her insides twist and churn. Jefferson’s name, and being reminded of his actions had yet to get any easier. In fact, the opposite rang true, and it seemed to get worse every time Max heard the name. After spending blissful hours with Chloe, Kate had pierced the cocoon the girls had spun for themselves. Something she preferred to forget was once again dragged back into the forefront of her mind. She understood how Kate must have felt, and how she likely still did feel. Kate had been a prisoner in the dark room, and in this reality, this timeline, she was the only one to remember. The only one able to talk about it. The only one to come out alive.

“I… I am so sorry Kate.” There was nothing else Max could say, even if she wanted to. The memories of what happened to her were hers and hers alone. She could only voice her support. She offered Kate a forced smile. “Maybe we can talk about something else? I’m sure Alice misses you.”

“Yes, of course!” Going by the sound of her voice, the mention of her bunny did change Kate’s disposition for the better. “How is she?” 

A sense of relief flowed through Max. “Well…” She got up and nodded toward the cage. “She’s doing fine. Though I think she doesn’t likes me very much. I think she’s judging me.” 

Kate followed Max and knelt in front of the cage. “That’s not true. I can tell, she loves you.” One by one she unhooked the latches holding the cage together. “She was probably scared by the storm.”

“Maybe…” Max glimpsed at the door. “I’m sure she’s happy to have you back.”

Kate chuckled as she scooped Alice up into her arms. “I sure hope so.” 

“So, uh…” Max gripped her elbow, her hand rubbing over the fabric of her hoodie. “What... are you going to do next?”

“I’ll be staying with my family for a few days,” Kate replied as she stroked the bunny. “Like I said, they feel like they need to protect me forever. And, it’s nice to have the company.” 

“Your sisters must be really happy to spend time with you, right?”

“Yes. Lynn especially.” Kate smiled. “My father said she couldn’t wait to see me again.” 

“Who can blame her? You’re a great sister Kate.”

“You always know the right thing to say Max.” Kate crouched down, letting Alice hop back into her cage. “After that I’ll probably come back and catch up on homework. Maybe then we can have our tea session?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Max said.

“I thought so too.” Kate smiled at her as she lifted the cage. “I don’t want to keep you any longer, Max. I’m sure your friend is waiting, and I have to pack some more of my things.”

“Okay.” Max nodded, walking over the door. “It’s been good to see you Kate.”

“You too, Max.” She raised the cage a little higher, as if to show it off. “And thank you again for taking care of Alice. We both appreciate it.”

“You’re both welcome.” Max held the door for Kate. “But, I still feel like she’s judging me.”

  


#### * * *

  


With a loud groan, Max threw herself back onto the bed, burying her head in one of her pillows. Much to her dismay, Chloe had not been in the hallway when Kate had left the room, and to make matters worse, she had yet to return. Luckily, it took no more than a few minutes before she heard the familiar sound of boots stomping down the hallway. Some moments later, the door creaked open, and Chloe stuck her head through the gap, scanning the room.

Max jumped up and pulled the door open. “There you are.” 

“Hey hippie.” Chloe was carrying an assortment of various snacks and sweets, along with a small, bright flashlight of her own. “Looks like you missed me already?”

“Like you didn’t.” Max smirked. “Where were you?” 

“I was busy raiding the vending machines.” With her foot, Chloe searched for the door and pushed it shut. “Figured you’d be hungry, so I got you something to eat. Breakfast was pretty shitty, and I know this isn’t exactly a great dinner, but better than nothing right?”

“No, it’s great, thank you.” Chloe had not been gone for that long, but after the conversation with Kate, Max had to refrain from throwing herself at her. “I assume the machines offered some resistance?”

Chloe plopped down on the bed, opening a bar of chocolate. “Nothing some violence couldn’t fix.”

“And, on the way you happened to come across a flashlight.” Max sat down next to Chloe.

“Nah. Had that one in my truck.” Chloe took a bite and continued to speak with her mouth full. “I went through step-jerks stuff before I came here. I thought he probably has one that better suits his ego.”

Max simply shook her head in response.

“So. How’s Kate doing?” Chloe asked, taking another bite.

Max shrugged. tearing open a bag of chips. “About as well as you’d expect. She went through a lot. But she’s strong.” 

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m proud of you for saving her.” Chloe wrinkled her brows, her expression showing traces of worry. “But, what about you? You don’t jump up like that unless something is wrong.”

“No, I’m fine.” Max gave her a half-smile. “I… I know I keep saying that, but she just brought up some stuff I’d rather not have talked about. Like you said, the outside world is back.”

“Okay.” Chloe gave Max gentle nudge with her shoulder. “I won’t press. Just know that I’m here, okay?”

“I do. I appreciate it.” Max returned Chloe’s nudge with one of her own. “Old friend.”

“Yeah.” Chloe huffed, finishing the last of her chocolate bar. “I know you. I figured you would prefer that one to girlfriend.”

“Yeah… Girlfriend…” Max repeated the word, both out loud and in her mind. 

“Feels kinda strange saying it, doesn’t it?”

“Feels strange hearing it,” Max added. “But, we’re still Chloe and Max. That will never change.”

“Max and Chloe,” Chloe corrected her.

“Same thing.” Max rested her head on Chloe’s shoulder, considering her next words. “Would you be angry if I want to keep this a secret?”

“You mean that we’re together?”

“Yes… I just don’t want people talking behind my back. I feel like they do that enough already.”

“I’m sorry.” Chloe draped her arm around Max. “Is Blackwell still that bad?”

“I guess. Or maybe it’s just me, I don’t know. One of the first things I did when I got this rewind power, was to try and get people to like me more.” She sighed, lowering her gaze. “Stupid, I know.”

Chloe squeezed Max’s arm, pulling her a closer. “It’s not stupid. I get what you mean about people and Blackwell. When I first met Rachel, suddenly everyone had something to say to me. Or about me, either in person or on social media. And, you know what? Fuck those people.”

Max chuckled, turning in Chloe’s grasp to look at her. “I don’t think that’s going to work for me.”

“Maybe not. But, look, I’ll follow your lead, okay? I’ll do whatever you want.” She kissed Max’s forehead. “Though, I have an idea that might help you.”

Max leaned into Chloe’s soothing touch. “Please, enlighten me.”

“Well, while you were talking to Kate, I was thinking that maybe you could stay at my place for a few days.”

Max frowned, taking a moment to reflect. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” 

Chloe flinched back a few inches. “Why?” she asked, her features slack-jawed, and her eyes wide. “It’s not like there’s gonna be classes for the next few weeks. Not after what happened. And if you gonna have to sit on your ass all that time, it might as well be at home.”

“it’s not that,” Max said, shaking her head a little. “Your mom and David will have enough on their hands because of the storm. I don’t want to add to that.”

“Look Max.” Chloe took both Max’s hands, locking their fingers together. “First off, mom loves you. She won’t mind. I’m sure of it. Second, I don’t give a shit about what the mustache thinks. And third…” She peered into Max’s eyes and squeezed her hands for emphasis. “I would really like it if you were there.”

Max had to admit that the idea of staying with Chloe did have an appeal. “You’re not taking no for an answer, are you?” She was unable to hide the small grin that had appeared with the last of Chloe’s words. 

“No, I’m not.” Chloe got up, keeping their hands together. “So, come on, please.” She gave Max a tug, pulling her up as well.

“Okay… you win.” Max tried to fake a semblance of annoyance. “But we’ll ask your mom first okay? Just to be sure. If she says no, then I’ll only stay the night.”

“Fine. Whatever you want.” Chloe slipped her hands behind Max’s back, wrenching her close. She brought her lips to Max’s ears. _"Girlfriend."_


	9. Family Matters

“Dude, this is gonna be amazing!” Chloe said, bounding down the small flight of stairs that led to the Blackwell Academy parking lot. “Just us, staying together at my place. No school to worry about.” She skipped the last few steps, spinning around at the bottom. “Almost feels like old times.”

“We still have to be careful,” Max replied as she followed Chloe down the stairs. She was carrying a large overnight bag filled with more clothes then she would need, but Chloe had insisted she pack as much as possible. _Just in case_ , she had said. 

“Well yeah, of course. No lovey-dovey stuff in front of mom or the lieutenant.” She waited for Max to catch up, making a show of tapping her foot impatiently. “Aren’t you at least a bit excited?”

“Of course, I am.” Max stopped in front of Chloe, offering her a smile. “Just a bit worried, that’s all.”

“We talked about this.” Chloe placed both her hands on Max’s shoulders. “Everything’s going to be fine, there’s nothing to worry about. You hear me?” She backed away a little, holding out her hand to Max, along with a coquettish grin. “Now come on. Please.”

Chloe was brimming with enthusiasm, and it was impossible not get enthralled by it. “Lead the way, girlfriend,” Max said as she took Chloe’s hand. 

“Still weird.” 

Max giggled as Chloe took off. “Yep.”

Hand in hand they raced across the parking lot, weaving between the numerous cars still stationed there. A full moon lit the way, it’s white glow pouring over Arcadia Bay. The night air was filled with their quiet laughter, and neither of them had eyes for the sea of stars that glimmered in the sky above.

Chloe’s truck was tucked away in the far corner of the lot. Upon reaching it, Chloe pulled open the passenger side door. “After you, my dear,” she said while helping Max with her bag.

Max chuckled as she got in. “You’re unbelievable.”

“And you love it.” Chloe stuck out her tongue at Max and pushed the door shut, before skipping over to the other side of the truck, climbing in herself. “So…” She began rifling through her pockets. “Before we go, I do have a confession to make.”

“Sounds ominous.”

“It’s not. I just want to be honest.” She pulled out her car keys, twirling them around her fingers. “Mom wasn’t home yet when I came to see you earlier. I waited for a few hours but got tired of sitting around. Just wanted to let you know.”

“I figured as much.” Max flashed her a smile. “You weren’t exactly keen on leaving me here this morning.”

“You could say that.” Chloe started the car, and music began to blare through the cab. She turned down the volume in a hurry. “I hope you’re not angry…”

“Chloe, please. Of course, I’m not. Besides…” Max took a long breath, her shoulders rising and falling. “You came right when I needed you.”

“Yeah… You were a bit of a mess.” Her eyes wandered, and it seemed as if her mind did the same. “May I ask why?” She shifted in her seat, tucking one leg beneath her. “You don’t have to tell me of course… If you don’t want to. I’m just curious…”

“No, it’s… okay. I...” Max stared at the dashboard, folding her hands in her lap. “I… heard the news.”

It took Chloe a moment to understand what Max meant, but at last, the words did sink in. “Shit, what?” She recoiled, a look of shock on her face.

“Yes...” Max’s lips formed a thin line, and she gave a weak nod. “I know you made sure to not turn on the radio while we were in here.” She tore her attention off the dashboard, dragging her gaze to Chloe. “So, I listened in my room.”

“Fuck, Max…” Chloe removed the keys from the ignition, stopping the rumbling engine. “Fuck.” She let herself fall back into her seat. “I’m sorry you had to hear all that.”

“It’s okay. I had to know.” Max lowered her head, leaning against the back of the cab. “After you dropped me off, Dana, I don’t know if you know her, she told me about Samuel, the custodian.” She paused. “He… died in the storm.”

Chloe scooted closer. “Go on,” she said softly.

“Later, when I was in my room, I felt like I needed to know if there were others. I… I knew I would hear about it sooner or later, and I thought that maybe I should just get it over with, you know?”

“I do.” Chloe nodded.

“Anyway, so…” Max’s expression had turned slack, her voice dull and heavy as she forced the remaining words out. “I listened to the news on my phone while I still had some battery left.”

Chloe shook her head as realization struck. “You knew the entire time. That’s why you were crying when you opened the door.”

“Pretty much. I didn’t want to talk about it earlier, I was just happy to have you back.”

“Max… I’m sorry.” Chloe patted Max’s leg, her thumb stroking it with gentle motions. “How are you doing?”

Max shrugged. “Okay, I guess. It’s weird... Yesterday, when I asked you to turn back, I was afraid of what we might find. And now I know, and it hurts, but I also feel kind of numb when I think about it.” A strained smile pulled at her lips, but her features carried doubt. She looked away. “I smiled, and I laughed with you this afternoon. I even did so a few minutes ago, and all of that was real. I was happy, I still am, all while there’s all this shit out there, because of me. I’m not sure what that makes me.”

“Don’t go there.” For a moment, Chloe’s touch became firmer, as did her tone. “Just don’t. Believe me, I know what you’re getting at. Whatever pain you are feeling shouldn’t make those other emotions any less valid. It’s quite the opposite actually.” She brought a hand under Max’s chin, gently urging her to meet her eyes. “I know it hurts, and I’ll be honest. In my experience, pain stays with you a long time, so please, hold on to those other moments. Trust me, I know what I am talking about. I… I don’t want to see you like this.” 

“I… I’m sorry. You’re right.” Seeing Chloe these past two days made it easy to forget what she had gone through all those years. “I’m sorry I keep piling this stuff onto you.” She threw her arms around Chloe, enveloping her in a hug. A hug to bring solace to both of them. “You don’t deserve that.”

“It’s okay. We’re in this together.” Chloe placed a couple of soft kisses on Max’s temple. “I know you can’t really talk to anyone else about it. Just promise me that you keep those thoughts locked out of your head.”

“I promise, I’ll try,” Max said as she pulled away, letting her fingers graze along Chloe’s cheek and looking at her with an adoring gaze. “I don’t say it nearly enough, but Chloe Price?” She clasped their hands together. “You are seriously amazing.”

Chloe’s smile lit up the interior of the truck. “I couldn’t do it without you Max. You make me a better person. And I love you for that.”

“Just for that?” Max asked, a smirk returning to her.

“Hmm, let me think…” Chloe leaned in close to bring their lips together, drawing Max into a long kiss. “No… For everything.”

  


#### * * *

  


The smoky smell and crackling noise of a burning fire welcomed the girls as they entered Chloe’s home. Down the hallway, flickering lights danced across the living room, throwing ever changing shadows over the carpeted floor.

“Mom?” Chloe called out as she shut the door behind her and Max. “Are you-”

The words had no time to leave her. “Chloe!” Joyce exclaimed as she came rushing around the corner. “Oh my god, Chloe, honey! There you are!” She was wearing a neck brace, and her right arm had been secured in a sling. Her expression and way of moving showed signs of pain and exhaustion, but it was also clear that she did not care. 

“Mom!” Chloe hurried toward her, meeting her halfway. “Are you okay?” Though she had known that her mother had survived the diner explosion, she still felt the relief of finally seeing her.

“Oh, don’t you worry about me.” Joyce extended her free arm, slinging it over Chloe’s shoulder, and pulling her close.

“Mom, careful.” Chloe gingerly returned the hug, unsure what to do with her hands. “Take it slow.”

“I’ve been taking it slow for two days now. This won’t kill me.” Joyce rocked her from side to side, her happiness radiating through the room. “Are you all right honey?” She broke the embrace and clasped the side of Chloe’s face in her hand. “Are you hurt?” she asked, inspecting her daughter. “I was so worried.”

“Mom, please. I’m fine.” Chloe tried to suppress a giggle as she squirmed away from Joyce’s touch. “I left you a note, didn’t you see?”

“I did see. But I’m your mother,” Joyce said, rubbing Chloe’s arm. “I’m allowed to worry about my daughter.”

“Well, I was with Max.” Chloe stepped aside, gesturing toward the brunette. “We were save. The entire time, I promise.”

Max had remained near the front door, only moving a few feet into the room and staying quiet as a mouse. She was clutching her bag to her chest, watching the reunion play out from a safe distance. “Hi Joyce,” she said with a shy wave of her hand, and a voice and smile that were just as small and timid.

“Max, sweetheart.” Joyce waved her over. “Why are you hiding?”

“I... didn’t want to interrupt.” She set her bag down and gave Joyce a quick hug. “How are you doing, Joyce?”

“Oh, I am fine.” Joyce pointed at her arm, and the neck brace. “I was lucky. It’s more of an annoyance really, nothing the doctors and some time can’t fix.” She beamed as she looked at the two girls. “You can’t imagine how good it is to see you two.”

Chloe opened her mouth, about to say something, but the sound of a door slamming shut interrupted the conversation. “Chloe?” David’s voice resounded from upstairs. “Is that you?”

“Here we go…” Chloe muttered under her breath.

“It’s Chloe and Max,” Joyce replied.

“Where the hell where you?” David came careening down the stairs, and Max had to take a step backward as he strode past, not giving her a second thought. He had deep, dark circles under his eyes, and coarse stubble covered his cheeks and jaw. “Your mother and I, we were worried sick!”

Chloe crossed her arms as he came near. “I’m fine, _David_.” She tilted her head away from him, rolling her eyes. “Thank you for asking. It’s good to see you by the way, glad to know the storm hasn’t blown you away.”

“Please you two, not now,” Joyce jumped in, exhaustion roughening her voice. “This is no time to fight.”

Chloe’s features mellowed, as did her stance. “Sorry mom.”

“You should have been home Chloe,” David continued, seemingly unimpressed by Joyce’s plea. “It was not safe out there. You could have been hurt.”

“Well I wasn’t, okay?”

David shook his head, choosing to stay silent. His tired eyes found Max, as well as the overnight bag she had picked up again. “What about you? Are you planning on moving in?”

“Dude.” Chloe moved to stand in front of Max, shielding her. “I asked her to stay, okay? Blackwell is just as much a mess as everywhere else.” She gave her mother an imploring stare. “Please.”

“it’s okay honey.” Joyce pressed the palm of her hand to her forehead. “Of course, Max can stay.”

“See?” Chloe said in a slightly mocking tone.

“Joyce, are you really- “

“David, please,” Joyce interrupted. She shot him an angry glare, which by itself already said enough. “We talked about this. In length.” Chloe had to stifle a grin.

David sighed, holding up both hands in defeat. “I see. I apologize.”

“Good. I really do not want any more bickering in this house. Especially not in times like these...” Joyce brought her attention back to Chloe. “Chloe…” She willed a sad smile. “David told me about this investigation of yours. I am so sorry to hear about Rachel, she was such a good girl.”

The mention of Rachel caused Chloe to shrink in on herself, her muscles tensing. “Thanks…”

“I’m proud of you for being there for you friend.” Joyce reached out to place her hand on Chloe’s forearm, but Chloe slipped away from the touch.

“So am I,” David added, his gruffness melting away for an instant. “You two did good.”

“I’m so sorry.” Joyce sighed as she took a step back. “You are too young to have to go through this.”

“Yeah…” Chloe frowned, her gaze darting between her mother and David. “Can we please not talk about this? I really don’t want to.”

“Of course, sweetie. Of course.” Joyce gave David an encouraging look, along with a subtle nod of her head in the direction of Chloe.

David nodded. “But there is something I have to talk to you about.”

“Can it wait?” Chloe groaned in response. “Max and I, we’re… tired.”

“It will only take a few minutes.” David opened the door to the garage, motioning Chloe to follow him. “I promise.”

“Please, Chloe,” Joyce said, leaning against the kitchen doorway. “Just listen to what David has to say.”

“Fine… whatever… Just go ahead, I’m right behind you.” Chloe followed him, but stopped to pull Max aside. “I’ll be right back, okay?” she whispered.

“I’ll be all right. I’m not that helpless,” Max replied. “Just don’t kill him. Remember, we wouldn’t be here without him.”

“I know. I’ll do my best.”

“Hear what he has to say, maybe it’s not that bad.”

“Maybe. I’ll tell you afterward.”

“Okay.” Max gave her a little push toward the garage door. “Now go, before he gets restless.”

“Aye captain.” Chloe winked at her. “See you later.”

Chloe disappeared into the garage, closing the door behind her a little harder than necessary, and leaving Max alone in the hallway.

Joyce had drifted to the kitchen. “Max, I’m sorry about David…” She said upon hearing the thud of the closing door. She was unable to hide her disappointment. “He is on edge after everything that happened these past couple of days.”

“We all are.” Max joined Joyce in the kitchen. “It’s been a crazy week.”

“That is very true.” Joyce opened one of the cupboards hanging on the wall. She took out two glasses, one by one, and set them on the counter. “It must be even more so for you and Chloe. To do everything you two did, at such a young age…” 

Max opted to stay quiet. If only Joyce knew the whole truth. “Here, let me help you,” she said instead, seeing Chloe’s mother struggle to open a bottle of water.

“Thank you dear.” Joyce handed her the bottle. “Seems I am in the market for an assistant.”

“I am more than happy to help out.” Max poured them both a glass of water. “It’s the least I can do after springing this on you. I know it’s the worst possible time, but Chloe wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“That’s my daughter.” Joyce eased herself down onto a chair at the living room table, breathing a contented sigh as she did. “And don’t worry Max, you are part of this family.” Her smile was as warm as the fire behind her. “You are always welcome here.”

Max sat down as well, sliding the glass of water over to Joyce. “Thank you. I promise I won’t stay for too long.”

“You stay as long as you want Max. I’m not saying the next weeks will be easy, but we will manage. We always have.” Her face crumpled into a worried frown. The lights coming from the fireplace made her look older and highlighted her fatigue. “Truth be told, I’m glad Chloe brought you here. She needs a friend. Losing Rachel…” She sighed again. “I worry about her.”

For Chloe, Rachel still appeared to be a sore subject, and by the looks of it, she seemed all too happy to ignore the issue. “I promise, I will take care of her,” Max said. “I’ll be there for her this time.”

“I know you will. And, I know I already mentioned it, but it is so good to see you two spending time together again. It makes me hopeful that things will finally work out.”

Max glanced at the other door that led to the garage. A muffled voice was speaking. “What about David?” she asked. “He was not exactly happy to see me. Especially after I got him kicked out of the house.”

“He got himself kicked out of the house,” Joyce corrected her. “Those were his actions, and he has to live with the consequences.” She took a sip from her glass. “He and I, we had time to talk. He knows what’s on the line. And if those two can finally bury the hatchet…”

“I’m sure they will,” Max assured her.

“I hope so.” Joyce reclined, savoring the warmth of the flames. “Either way, it will be a fresh start for this family.”

  


#### * * *

  


“You were going to tell me something,” Chloe grumbled. The mere presence of David sucked away her otherwise good mood, but Max and her mother were right. All she needed to do was listen.

“Yes.” David paced back and forth. “I… was with the police when I heard about what happened to your mother at the diner.” His voice was strained. “They told me, and I was able to get to her quickly.” 

“So?” Chloe shrugged.

“What I want to say is…” He stopped to face Chloe. “I care a lot about your mother, and I care a lot about you.”

“Clearly,” Chloe said as dryly as possible. She was trying her best to use a normal tone of voice, but she found herself slip back into old habits.

He gave her a sharp look. “It gave your mother and I… It gave us the opportunity to talk about the past days, weeks, years even. There are some things I need to apologize for.”

“I’m listening.” Chloe leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. “Just say whatever you _need_ to say.”

David sighed, shaking his head. “I _want_ to apologize. I have made many mistakes and know that now. I have come to realize that you never respected me, because I never earned that respect. I thought that you needed order and stability, a firm hand, but I never thought that those methods might not work. I was never used to anything else. I treated you like a soldier, not like a daughter. But this is not an army, this is a family.”

He grabbed one of the chairs that were stacked in the corner of the garage and sat down. “Seeing what you, and Max as well, did for Rachel Amber, showed me that I have also not been respecting you as much as I should have. I have been underestimating you. I apologize for that.”

“Go on…” Chloe raised an eyebrow.

“These past few days have also shown me that I have not been respecting your mother as much as I should have. Spying on my family, and lying about it, were only the last drop in a cup that was already overflowing.”

“You’re a poet now?”

“But,” David spoke, ignoring Chloe, “Joyce, your mother, gave me another chance. I am not sure if I deserve one, but I am grateful. I may never be able to replace your father, but-”

“No, you won’t.” Chloe pushed herself off the wall, taking a few brisk steps toward him. “So, get that out of that square head of yours.” She clenched her fists, her teeth grinding against each other. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. “Sorry…” she muttered, creeping back. “I get it, you’re trying… I’m sorry.” 

David stood up. “Look. I will make damn sure that I don’t screw this up. Because I nearly did already. I don’t want to lose Joyce or you. But I can’t do it without you.” He extended a hand. “So, what I want to say is, I am deeply sorry. With your permission, I would like to start over. Stop this fighting, stop this war. For the sake of this family. Our family.”

Chloe eyed him with suspicion, waiting some seconds to respond. “Fine.” She shook his hand, matching his firm grasp. She did it for her mother, for Max, maybe even for herself. “Just don’t expect us to become friends anytime soon.”

  


#### * * *

  


“He really cares, Chloe.” Max said as they arrived in the privacy of Chloe’s room. 

“I know he does,” Chloe replied. “That’s not the problem.” She crouched down and started undoing the laces on her boots. “It’s just how he does it. It’s not the first time we had this talk. It’s always the same shit, he says one thing, but does the other.”

Max placed her bag on the bed. “But do you think this time will be different?” She threw a glance at Chloe.

“I don’t know.” Chloe kicked off her boots, sending them half-way across the room. “I mean…” She tore the beanie off her head, revealing the blue hair beneath. “There is so much shit between us, an apology doesn’t magically fix that. Saving you goes a long way, but I can’t exactly thank him for that.”

“Yeah…” Max mused. “So, what are you going to do?”

“You mean with David?”

“Yes.” She sat down, and followed Chloe’s lead, removing her shoes. “You can’t keep fighting him forever.”

“I won’t. I’m kinda sick of fighting, so this works for me.” She flashed Max a grin. “Also, mom seems to have him on a pretty short leash.” 

Max rummaged through her bag in search of a fresh t-shirt. “Admit it,” she said, inspecting one of her options. “You love that part.”

“Hells yeah.” Chloe strode over to the window. A rough gust of wind entered the room as she opened it, tussling her hair. “It’s his last chance. He’s probably harmless now.”

“Just don’t push him, okay?” Max said, continuing her search.

“Please, even I’m not that much of a dick.” Chloe sat on the window sill, enjoying the fresh air. “Mom, clearly still sees something in him. I’m not going to ruin that for her. I did that long enough… And I feel shitty about that.”

“Your mother deserves the peace.” Max got up, and turned her back to Chloe. “I’m sure she’d be thankful.” After a moment of hesitation, she took off her shirt and unbuttoned her pants, letting them both fall to the floor. She quickly slipped into her usual sleepwear. 

Chloe shook her head, a smile on her face as she tore her gaze away from Max, giving her the privacy, she seemed to desire. She decided not to point that she had seen Max in her underwear before, more than once in fact. Instead, she grabbed her pack of cigarettes. “You mind if I smoke in here?”

“Not unless you plan on kissing me afterward,” Max said with a low tone, and a teasing smirk.

“Oh… sorry.” Chloe stared at the cigarettes, her brows tightening. “I hope it wasn’t too bad earlier. I’ll try and remember. Must have been disgusting.”

“Chloe… It’s okay. It wasn’t that bad, and _not_ what I was thinking about right then.” 

Chloe chuckled. “I bet.” She stuffed the pack of cigarettes back into her pocket, without taking one. She jumped up, and sauntered over to Max. “So, uh… Whatcha thinkin’ bout now?” She wrapped her arms around Max’s waist.

Max rose on her tiptoes. “That you’re impossible,” she said, pressing her lips against Chloe’s, not wasting a second thought. “And amazing.”

Chloe eagerly returned the affection. “And you are getting bolder. I like it.” 

“No, not really… I just don’t want to bore you.”

“You could never. Even if you tried.” Chloe leaned in just enough, so that their foreheads and noses touched, gently rubbing against each other. “We may have to try out some new stuff already.”

A small laugh escaped Max. “Maybe tomorrow.” She gave Chloe another kiss. “This is all I need for now.” She leaned against her, as she had done so often these past hours. “If you don’t mind of course. I just… really like this.”

“So do I Max.” Chloe held her close, peppering her with tiny kisses. She relished in the closeness and comfort she provided, the warm feeling of Max nestled against her blurring out any of her own dark thoughts. “So do I. it’s nice.”

“It is.” Max looked up at her with big, beautiful eyes. “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting kind of tired. It’s been a long, strange day.”

“Yeah…” Chloe spoke softly. “That’s putting it mildly.”


	10. Of Heartbeats And Tethers

Max stared at the clock. It had yet to move, and it seemed as if time passed slower this morning.

She was downstairs in the living room, sat at the table. Chloe was still asleep, and Max was on her own. After spending so much time together, the reality of being separated was unsettling. She could have gotten up of course, and rejoined Chloe, but it felt like a daunting task, as if the chair itself had no intention of letting her go. Max sighed, her posture slumping as she fell back into her seat. Maybe it was better to wait, after all, Chloe had to wake up and come down at some point. 

Her eyes were drawn to the fireplace, and the painting that hung above. The flames had died overnight, only embers remained. The smell lingered though, the air stale, almost foul. The comfortable warmth was gone, and in its place a chill dominated the house, needling her bones to their very core.

Even the weather had turned. The sky was lost to clouds. They were ever-changing, warping, and churning with grey and black. Heavy drops of rain drummed against the windows, their already uneasy rhythm being disturbed by violent gales. Once colorful leaves tumbled across the garden, and the weathered swings swayed in the wind. The entire house creaked under the assault. The dullness reached into the living room, and even the yellow curtains looked drab and devoid of color.

And the clock had yet to move.

At least, she was not _completely_ alone. Joyce stood in the kitchen, cooking breakfast, and quietly humming to herself. The radio played a soft tune, Max had heard it before, but she was unable to recall where. Everything seemed to move slower this morning. Even her mind was hazy, clouded, not unlike the sky, and the day before felt like a distant memory.

A door slammed shut. The scuff of footsteps in the hallway followed.

“Can you believe this?” David help up a newspaper for Joyce to see.

Joyce did not react. She continued to cook, and instead, she threw a glance at Max. “I do,” she said.

“Huh.” David scoffed. He dropped the newspaper on the table. It landed right in front of Max, its front page facing down. 

“Maybe she has something to say about it,” Joyce said.

David mustered Max. “Do you think she will look at it?” 

Max glanced around, twisting and turning in her chair. “What’s going on? What do you mean?” she asked, but neither Joyce nor David showed any reaction.

“Of course,” Joyce replied. “She is too nosey for her own good. You should know that.”

“I should.” David walked away and sat on the couch. He turned on the TV. The images were blurry, a mess of colors moving too fast to make out any details.

“It’s just a matter of time.”

“Isn’t everything?”

The clock moved.

The yellow curtains flowed in the wind. 

The rain drummed heavier.

The chill inside Max turned to ice, a cold sweat drenching her. Her hands trembled. Panic and dizziness overtook her. She tried to get up, she tried to run, but she could not. 

She grabbed the newspaper and flipped it over.

_Max Caulfield destroys Arcadia Bay, kills everyone._

She recoiled, and an image flickered on the TV. An image of Max, blood dripping from her nose.

“So, Max.” Joyce sat down at the other side of the table, staring at her. “What do you think, was it worth it? The misery you caused. The pain you brought. All those people you killed, all those families you tore apart? You should know better, you’ve seen what that can do to a family.”

“Actually, she didn’t,” David said. He had yet to move. “She never cared.”

Another image flashed on the TV. Chloe lying on a white couch, unmoving.

“Chloe…” Max exhaled. Breathing was harder, as if a weight had been placed on her chest. “Please, no…”

“Yes, that’s true.” Joyce’s gaze was unwavering, her unblinking eyes pierced through the back of Max’s head. “I wonder what my daughter sees in her.” 

“You could ask her.” David sat down next to Joyce. His stare was every bit as harsh. “She’ll come down any minute.”

Max forced her eyes shut. “Please…” she whimpered. 

“Yes. It’s almost time.”

The doorbell rang.

“Chloe, would you please get that,” Joyce and David spoke at the same time. Their voices boomed through the house, drowning out everything else.

A bright flash engulfed Max. A door opened. Then, there was a voice. _His_ voice.

Again, Max tried to jump up, but again she failed. Duct tape covered her wrists and ankles, and even the chair did not budge. She screamed at the top of her lungs, but nothing changed. The feeling of encroaching dread, of helplessness, only intensified.

Another flash. The sound of a camera shutter. The dark room.

Grey and black.

The music still played. Max recognized it now. Jazz.

“So good of you to finally join us, Max. Your little friend here…” Jefferson grabbed Max’s chin, forcing her to look at the couch, and at an unconscious Chloe. “Has been patiently waiting for you.”

“Please, no! Please stop…” Max struggled and squirmed, but his grip was too strong. “Chloe…”

“Max… She can’t hear you.” He bent down, his face mere inches away from hers. “No one can. This time you won’t get away. You should have seen this coming.”

“Please…” The edges of the duct tape cut into her skin. “Why are you doing this?”

“You know why I am doing this. I told you before. I’m sure you remember.” He released his hold and retrieved a syringe. “But in case you need a reminder…” He began to draw a solution into the syringe. “The moment innocence turns into corruption. The fear of what is about to happen.”

“You don’t have to do this...” Max continued to struggle. She needed to get away. She needed to save to Chloe.

“Oh, but I do.” He brought the syringe to Max’s neck. Smiling, he circled her, dragging the tip of the needle across her skin. Everything he did was slow, and deliberate. “And what better way to bring that fear, that desperation, than making you watch as I kill this little punk slut of yours.” He plunged the needle into her skin. “Right before your eyes.”

Max felt the sharp sting, the pressure of the drug being forced into her body. “No… Please… Chloe…” Everything around her became blurry, but the darkness did not overtake her completely. 

“Perfect Max. That’s what you two tell each other, right?” He strode over to the couch and pulled out a gun. “Everything is perfect.”

“No… Chloe…”

“She won’t notice anything. I promise. You on the other hand…” He brought the gun to Chloe’s head. “Now this… This will truly be the highlight of my career. Thank you, Max. It’s always such a pleasure to work with you.”

“Chloe…” The last of Max’s strength was gone, sapped from her body. “Chloe, no…”

Jefferson smiled again. “You’re doing great Max.”

The trigger inched backward. 

The music kept playing.

Everything happened in slow motion. Every instant was an eternity.

“Chloe…”

Then, there was a shot.

  


#### * * *

  


“Chloe!” 

Max shrieked as she jolted awake. Her eyes snapped open wide, the color draining out of her face. Her heart was pounding, and her breathing was every bit as violent. Little by little her eyes adjusted to their surroundings, but her mind trailed behind. The shadowy fog clouding her being was thick and unrelenting. “Chloe…” 

Chloe scrambled to the bed, almost tripping over her discarded boots and clothes. She dropped down next to Max, slumping against the wall. “I’m here, Max. I’m here.” Her voice was the softest of melodies, guiding Max’s way through the darkness. “I’ve got you. It’s okay.” 

“Chloe?” Max’s brain was slowly floating into consciousness, the numbness uncoiling from around her. She found herself in Chloe’s room, sprawled out across the bed. The covers were kicked off, and she was tightly clutching a pillow. A quiet sob sprang from her chest as a vortex of painful memories rampaged back into her mind. “He… he…”

“Everything is okay.” Chloe pulled Max close, her arms winding around the girl. “It was just a nightmare. You’re okay. Everything is fine.”

As soon as she felt Chloe’s grasp, Max curled up, making herself as small as possible. She did not respond, she simply rested her head in Chloe’s lap. Her entire body was quivering and shaking, and another, this time louder sob escaped her. 

“Hey… hey…It’s all right.” Chloe’s eyes darted around the room until they landed on the bed sheets. She leaned over, careful not to disturb Max. She grabbed the covers, and pulled them over Max. “Here you go.”

Tears pooled in Max’s eyes. “I… I saw you die.” She buried her face in Chloe’s leg, struggling to regain some semblance of composure. “You died again, and I couldn’t save you.”

“I didn’t. I didn’t die Max.” Chloe rubbed her back, her hand affectionately gliding up and down. “I’m alive, and I’m here with you. No one hurt me.”

“You can’t die. Please. I can’t…” Max’s voice broke in between sobs, and it grew weaker every second. Her limbs, her chest, everything felt sore and heavy. It seemed as if Chloe’s words did not quite reach her. “I never want to see you die again. I can’t do this again. I can’t…”

“Hey… you won’t. I promise.” 

“He drugged me, and he killed you. I… I never…” She drew her limbs even closer to her body. “I never want to go back to that place.”

It had been a few days since the night of the party. For Chloe, Max’s subsequent capture, and escape from the dark room were in large parts still a mystery. In fact, since that day, Max had not spoken a word about what happened to her. Even now Chloe could not be sure whether Max was opening up to her, or reeling from the aftershocks of her nightmare.

Either way, Chloe had seen the pictures of Rachel and Kate, and by extension she could imagine all too well what Max had endured. The notion that her best friend, her girlfriend, had been drugged and held captive in that bunker, conjured up seething rage and anger, as well as an intense hatred for the man responsible. 

She had to take a deep breath. She had to push those emotions away. Max needed her, and she needed to be strong for Max.

“Look,” she said, “I’m here for you.” She threaded her fingers through Max’s hair. “I’m alive, and I’ll always be there for you. I promise nothing will happen to you.” There was a gentle rhythm in her touch as she stroked her. Max however fell silent, as if she was withdrawing into herself. 

Chloe could not bear seeing Max like this. She scooted over to the middle of the bed and reclined. “Here…” She took Max’s hand, and guided it to her chest, placing her palm right above her heart. “Do you feel that? It means I’m alive, and I am here with you. No one will hurt you ever again. I’ll protect you.”

Long moments of silence followed. Max’s fingers curled up as she grasped at Chloe’s shirt, feeling the strong and steady heartbeat beneath. “It felt so real,” she said with the tiniest of voices. Her eyes continued to be moist with tears. “Like I was back there…”

Hearing Max talk about her experiences made Chloe’s heart sink like a stone, no matter how little she actually said. “I… I am sorry you had to go through all that. If you need something, anything I am here for you. I’ll do anything for you.”

“I know…” Max replied, snuggling in close to Chloe. “But I just want it to be over. I just...” She nuzzled into the girl’s chest, yearning to be as close as possible. She not only wanted to feel Chloe’s heartbeat, she wanted to hear it. “I… I just want to forget.” Tears accompanied her words, dripping down onto Chloe’s shirt. 

“I understand.” Chloe gave Max a moment to settle against her, before sliding her arms around her once more. “Let’s not talk about it then. Just stay right here. I’ve got you.”

Max nodded weakly. An empty smile tugged on her lips as she closed her eyes. 

It was the rise and fall of Chloe’s chest as she breathed, the rhythm of her heart, and even the oddly comforting, faint smell of cigarette smoke that clung to Chloe’s shirt, which chased away Max’s tears. She felt Chloe’s gentle caresses, the small kisses she left on her forehead, and the reassuring squeezes she received every so often.

After a while, Max lifted her head. “Feeling better?” Chloe asked, greeting her with a smile that could not quite hide her concern.

“I think so,” Max answered. “Thank you.” There was still a certain frailness to her, but the storm inside her mind had died down, slowly restoring her strength. She returned Chloe’s smile, peering deep into her eyes. “I love you,” she said. “Thank you for insisting that I stay here.”

“I love you too. I’m glad I could help.” She brought her hands to Max’s face, and cupped both her cheeks. Her smile grew smaller and her expression turned serious. “It hurts seeing you like this, but I’m here for you no matter what happens. Just please, don’t _ever_ think you need to hide it for my benefit, okay? If you don’t want to talk about something, that’s totally fine, but don’t do it for me. Please, _never_ do it for me.”

Max frowned. She propped herself up by her elbow, breaking away from Chloe. She sighed and looked away, staring out the window. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t beat yourself up.” Chloe reached up to rub her back. “Don’t ever be sorry.”

“No, that’s not it.” She sat up, folded her legs under her and took Chloe’s hand. “I think I’ve been acting a bit selfish. I’ve been clinging to you like crazy, but I know you’re going through a lot yourself. With Rachel, and now me… It can’t be easy for you. So, what you just said, I want it to apply to you as well. We’re in this together.”

“We are.” Chloe gave Max’s hand a light squeeze. “I won’t bottle up my emotions the way I used to. I promise I’ll do better.”

“You’re doing great.” She brought her other hand on top of Chloe’s, clasping them together. “Just be yourself. I love you the way you are, no matter what.”

“Love…” Chloe rolled onto her side. Her eyes strayed over their locked hands. “I love how say that now.”

Max shrugged. “I’m just telling the truth, that’s all.”

Chloe smiled warmly. “You know, a week ago I was lying right here in this bed. Probably even around the same time. When I woke up, there was nothing for me here anymore, no reason to even get up. I was alone, I was lost. Everything was shitty, and I just wanted to find Rachel, leave Arcadia forever, and never look back. If someone had told me, that just one day later my life would finally change for the better...” She shook her head, searching for the right words. “Let’s just say I would have thought that it was just another way for life to try and fuck me over.” She paused for moment, losing herself in Max’s eyes. “But when I saw you in that parking lot I… I felt hope. Sure, I gave you some shit, but I was too afraid to show you how I really felt. I used to keep a diary, and I once wrote that I would take you back in a heartbeat. And I did. For the first time in what felt like forever I…” Her lips quivered as a handful of lonely tears rolled down her cheek. “I thought that my life might finally change...” 

“For the better,” Max said as she wiped away Chloe’s tears.

“For the better.” She leaned forward, planting several soft kisses on Max’s knuckles. “And it did. It’s a new a world, and it gets better every day. Today I’m looking forward to getting up. To living my life.” She pushed herself up, and gripped Max’s waist, gently drawing her close. “With you.”

Max was silent. She did not need to say anything. Even if she did, the words would have failed her. She simply pressed her lips against Chloe’s, opting to show her everything she felt. 

Soon, the kiss deepened, and the passion rose. Chloe briefly and softly sucked on Max’s upper lip, before lightly brushing her tongue against Max. They settled into a slow and gentle dance, and Chloe was ever careful to not push Max too far, to respect her wishes and to follow her lead, but even so it was the most blissful kiss Max had ever experienced.

When at long last the tender touch they shared came to end, Max was speechless. Her mouth hung open, and she could only gaze at Chloe.

Chloe for her part wore a small, knowing grin, but she chose not to comment. “You help me so much Max,” she said. “You are my tether. You are my lighthouse in the storm. I’ll love you no matter what happens. I’ll love you forever.”

“Forever,” Max repeated. Whatever thoughts had plagued her mind earlier were gone, and no traces of them were left. Everything seemed a little brighter.

Chloe nodded, smiling. “So…” She looked toward the window and took Max’s hand again. “What do you want to do today?”


	11. Conflicting Emotions

Max and Chloe squeezed into the elevator just as the doors were closing—much to the displeasure of a little old lady, who seemed especially taken aback by Chloe’s choice of hair color.

“Fuckin’ hell, I hate this place,” Chloe said, acknowledging the woman with a scowl, all while repeatedly hammering the button that would take them to the third floor. “Gives me the creeps every time I’m here.”

Max eyed her with suspicion. She huddled in the corner, clutching the cold metal handrail as the elevator lurched upward. “I know. I don’t like it either,” she said. Unlike Chloe, she kept her voice down as much as possible. It felt wrong to speak out loud. “But we waited long enough. And you said you were okay with us going.”

“Of course, I am.” She slouched against the wall, next to Max. “Not about to let you go alone either.”

“My knight in shining armor.” Max flashed her a fleeting smile. “We don’t need to stay long. Let’s just see how they are doing, and then we’ll be back home in no time.”

“I like how you call it home,” Chloe said, giving Max a playful nudge with her shoulder. “And we better be.” She grinned. “You know we have a little something to do later.”

“You still won’t tell me?” Max asked, not trying to hide her disappointment.

The elevator jerked to a halt, and the doors slid open. “Nope,” Chloe replied as they shuffled past the elderly woman in order to step off. “It’s a surprise. You’ll just have to wait and see.” 

“Fine…” Max pouted.

Ever since they made their plans for the day, Chloe was building up anticipation for something, and it was working a little too well. Max was still all but desperate to cling onto anything that could distract her, and Chloe had been quick to notice. She kept teasing her, just enough to keep Max’s mind off the things the hospital might confront her with.

In fact, coming to the hospital to visit Warren and Frank, had only been decided after a lengthy discussion, with Chloe conceding to Max’s wishes. Neither of them was comfortable with the situation, but in the end they both agreed that seeing the people that helped them was the least they could do.

“I think it’s this way,” Max said, pointing down the corridor to their right.

“Okay.” Offering her a smile, Chloe took Max’s hand. “Let’s go.”

As they walked, Max’s eyes darted around. The hospital halls were as uninviting as ever. Sickly fluorescent lighting bounced off pallid walls and the dark grey linoleum flooring could not have been more foreboding. A symphony of muffled murmurs and whimpers escaped adjacent rooms, and somewhere further down, the squeaky wheels of a stretcher rolled across the floor. It all blended with the distinct smell of disinfectant, and another, unidentifiable, and most of all unpleasant odor.

The hallway seemed to go on forever. With each passing step, Max drew herself closer to Chloe, and in return, Chloe’s grip grew tighter by the minute.

“There it is. That’s Warren’s room,” Max said after a short while, gesturing toward a door a couple of dozen feet away. “Do you want to come with me?”

“If you want me to.” Chloe shrugged half-heartedly, her tone matching. “But he’s your friend. I barely know the guy. I’d rather go and check up on Frank in the meantime.” She pointed her thumb over her shoulder, back in the direction they came from. “Just to see how he’s doing. If you don’t mind of course.” 

“No, that’s okay. We can meet back here if you’d like.”

“All right. Sounds like a plan.” She gave Max a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll see you around.” Grinning, she took a few steps backward, but Max caught her hand before she could take another. “What?” she asked, an immediate look of concern moving across her face.

“Nothing,” Max assured her. “Just, say thanks to Frank from me, will you?” She let go of Chloe’s hand. “And go easy on him.”

Chloe nodded. “Will do. Now go on. I’m sure your boyfriend misses you.”

“Shut up!” Max giggled. “You’re the worst.”

  


#### * * *

  


Warren’s room was about was unwelcoming as the rest of the hospital. Neither the handful of colorful balloons tied to the bed, nor the odd bouquet of flowers on the nightstand could liven up the atmosphere. The curtains were drawn shut, with only a hint of natural light entering the room. An eerie silence lingered in the air, only the beeping of a heart monitor pierced it every so often.

“Hey, Warren,” Max said, carefully closing the door behind her and taking in her surroundings.

Warren lay in the bed, the covers pulled up to his shoulders. An IV stand stood next to him, its tubes disappeared under the bed sheets. “Max!” he exclaimed to the best of his abilities, turning his head to look at her. “There you are. Took you long enough. You had me worried there for a while.” His voice was hoarse, weak, and at the risk of breaking at every word. He sounded miserable, and he looked even worse.

He was in pain, it was clear to see, though Max was unable to tell the extent of his injuries. The only visible one was the black eye he wore as a reminder of his fight with Nathan Prescott.

“H-hi Warren,” Max said again. She scurried over to his bed. “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”

“Yeah…” He coughed. “I guess you were busy, right?”

“Uh… Yeah, you could say that.” Max glanced around the room, tugging on the black hoodie she had chosen to wear for the day. “There was a lot going on.”

“Sure,” he replied.

Max frowned. She did not know how to read him. His expression was twisted, but she could not tell whether it was because of pain, or annoyance. “So, uh…” She dragged a chair closer to the bed and sat down. “This is probably a dumb question, but how are you holding up?”

“Oh, you know…” He shifted a little, groaning as he did. “My superhero days are probably over. Not that I’m complaining though. Getting beaten up by some psycho is one thing, surviving an explosion is another. But I’ll-” He coughed again, choking off any further words. “Damn... Can, you hand me the cup of water please?”

Max got up and did as he asked. “Here you go.”

“Thanks,” he said through gritted teeth as he reached for the cup, revealing dressings all around his arm. He took a few gulps, before collapsing back onto the bed. He swallowed hard. “I’ll live. But I’ll have to stay here for a while longer.”

Max found herself staring at his wounds, or rather, at the bandages hiding his wounds. 

Warren noticed. He squinted, and his facial features sagged in resignation. “Yeah… I got banged up pretty bad,” he said, causing Max to snap out of her state.

“I’m sorry… Didn’t mean to stare.” 

“It’s okay.” The corners of his mouth quirked up into a pained smile. “I know I look pretty badass. Doc even says I’ll have some pretty sick scars.”

Max chuckled faintly. It was more of a courtesy, and less of a genuine sentiment. She could not help but wonder what could have happened, even if she was relieved to see him alive, and on the mend. “I guess that is pretty badass,” she said after a brief instant.

“It is,” Warren continued. “And, you know what they say about chicks and scars.” 

“I… wouldn’t know.” Max rubbed the back of her neck. She knew where this was going. “You might have to ask Brooke about that one.”

“Yeah…” He shook his head, breaking eye contact for a moment. “Anyway, enough about me. What were you up to?” He perked up, seemingly gaining energy. “You were acting pretty fucking weird the night of the party. Like you had not seen your friend in forever.”

“Oh.” Max squirmed in her chair. She folded her hands tightly in her lap. “I guess that must have looked pretty weird, yes.”

“Understatement of the century right there,” he muttered, his lips pressing themselves into a thin line. “I guess she’s pretty cool… But you didn’t even bother to reply to my texts.”

“Like I said…” She brought her arms closer to her chest. “There was a lot going on. I would have texted you if I could.”

“Doesn’t happen to have anything to do with that Nathan, Jefferson, thing? Doesn’t it?”

Max’s head jerked back in surprise. Her eyes went wide. “You know about that?”

Warren simply nodded.

She sighed. “Guess news still travels fast in Arcadia Bay...”

“It does.” His eyebrows climbed up his forehead as he paused for a moment, waiting for an answer. “So?” he asked at last. “Go on, tell me.” He looked at her with barely contained expectation. 

“I…” Max averted her gaze, looking at the floor. Her jaw was clenched. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she muttered.

“Come on,” Warren pleaded. “You can tell me. You know that.”

Max shook her head, continuing to keep her eyes away from him. “I’m sorry, but no. It’s complicated…”

“Fine. Have it your way.” He scrunched up his face, releasing after a few seconds. He took a large breath. “At least tell me what you were going to tell me on Monday. In the parking lot. Remember?” 

“It was nothing. Really.” Max tried to deflect. She did not wish to talk. She remembered his words from the other reality, and maybe it was fear, maybe it was denial, that kept her from telling him the truth. “It’s not important,” she added, chewing her lip. The past week was hers and Chloe’s, and theirs alone.

“Please,” he said, “you were clearly going to tell me something before Nathan showed up. Why not now? Give me something.” His tone was sharp as a knife. “Don’t leave me hanging.”

The questions, the pointed looks, it was all getting too much for Max. “I said I don’t want to speak about it, okay?” she snapped. She glared at him with every hint of scorn she could muster. “Just… let it go…please.”

“Now it just feels like you’re insulting me.” Anger and frustration flashed across his face. “I bet you told your friend…” he complained in a mocking manner. “What’s the deal with you two anyway, you never even mentioned her, and now you’re all over her.”

At the mention of Chloe, Max jumped out of her seat. He had struck a nerve. “For fuck’s sake! Stop it!” She had to refrain herself from yelling. “It’s not always about you okay?”

“Max-”

“No, listen. I get it. You’re disappointed,” she said, feeling her body tense up, and her pulse rising. He opened his mouth again, but once more she did not give him a chance to speak. “You’re stuck in this hospital bed. I didn’t go to that stupid drive-in with you. And I don’t want to tell you what’s going on. But you know what?” She pushed the chair away. “That’s just the way it is. You either accept that, or you don’t. I just told you often enough that I don’t want to speak, but I guess you don’t want to listen. Either way...” She spun on her heels and rushed for the door. “It’s best I leave now.”

Silence fell on the room. 

“Max! I’m-” Warren called out, but before he could finish his sentence, the door all but slammed shut behind Max, and she found herself back in the hospital corridor.

Chloe was nowhere to be seen. Max began to pace, and her mind followed suit. She had no desire to go back, no intent on listening what he had to say, at least not for now. She had never argued with him before, but her attempts to remain calm had failed her. The last thing she needed was a fight, and yet, she was not sure what to make of it.

With a heavy sigh she crumpled into the nearest empty chair. There was a small table next to it, a collection of various brochures laid out atop. She picked one up, flicking through the pages as if answers could be found within.

The intercom crackled. “Paging Dr. Mitchell. Paging Dr. Mitchell. Please report to the emergency unit,” a woman’s voice blared. The sound mingled with the chatter of nearby nurses and patients, and it all masked the approach of heavy, boot-clad footsteps.

“Interesting read?” Chloe asked as she sat down next to Max.

Max forced a smile. She tore her eyes away from the brochure and placed it back on the table. “Very,” she said as she brought her attention to her girlfriend. Chloe’s features were pensive and somber, her posture slumped. “You okay?” Max asked.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Chloe replied. “What about you? You sit here already, which means you can’t have been long in there.”

“I could ask you the same thing.” Max fidgeted with her wristbands. “What happened, did you see Frank?”

“No, not exactly.” She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “I talked to a nurse, and Frank is not looking great. He’s in a coma. Something about brain swelling and trauma. They’re… not sure if he’s gonna make it.”

Max shoulders sagged. The thought of Chloe losing yet another person, no matter who it was, sent uneasy ripples up her spine. “I’m so sorry Chloe.” She reached out to gently stroke Chloe’s arm.

“Don’t count him out just yet,” Chloe said. “He’s though, he’ll make it.”

“Sure…” Max shifted so that she sat on the edge of her seat. “But I’m more concerned about you. Are you sure you are okay?”

“I am. Don’t worry about me.” For a moment a smile wavered on her face, but she pressed her lips together. “I actually kinda feel like a dick saying it, but…” She grimaced slightly. “But, he and I, we’re not friends. He’s just the guy I brought my weed from, and we have not been on good terms for a long while now.”

“Still,” Max said, emphasizing her words with a light squeeze on Chloe’s arm, “That means there was a time you were on good terms.”

“Yeah. A long time ago we used to hang out…” She lowered her voice as a family walked past. “And this week he threatened to kill me, so there’s that, you know. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I’m not rooting for him. I hope he makes it, I really do, but we gave him his money, and that’s it. And I know he helped us, but he did it for Rachel, not for us. I… I think I’m finally done with him. I wanna move on.” 

“Point taken,” Max said. “For what it’s worth, I think you should. I know he’s not that bad a guy, but he’s not a good guy either. You can do better.”

“Thanks. Though I guess it means I have to buy my weed from someone else.” Chloe grinned as she scratched her hair through her beanie.

“How ever will you manage?” Max teased.

“It certainly won’t be easy.” Chloe stretched and got up. “But now it’s your turn. How’s Warren?” she asked, nodding toward the door to his room. “Why are you not in there?”

“How about we go back home? I can tell you outside.” Max groaned, and pushed herself up as well. “This place just… I don’t know.”

“Sucks the life right out of you?”

“Yeah.” Max sneered. “I hate it.”

  


#### * * *

  


“Honestly?” Chloe said as they strolled across the parking lot, on the way back to her truck. “Sounds to me like he was just an ass.” She was pawing through her pockets, searching for her pack of cigarettes. “Good on you for telling him off.”

“I don’t know…” Max said. A chill wind tugged on her hair, whipping loose strands about her face. The sky hung overcast and grey above them, no trace of sunshine left. She pulled the zipper of her hoodie up as far as possible. “Maybe I could have handled it differently. I kinda feel like an ass myself.”

“You’re not. You had good reason not to tell him,” Chloe mumbled. A cigarette dangled between her lips. She fiddled with her lighter, but the flame only briefly flickered in and out of existence. “Fucking piece of shit,” she hissed as she tried again. “Just work dammit.” Max watched her with a curious expression, and after another try Chloe finally managed to light her cigarette. She took a long, desperate drag. “God, I needed this,” she exhaled with satisfaction, blowing a large plume of smoke into the air.

“Feeling better?” Max asked. She did not smoke, she had never tried, and she had no desire to do so, but she had come to associate the smell with Chloe, and somehow it calmed her as well.

“Yeah.” Chloe took another drag, then pulled the cigarette from her lips. She held it out to Max. “Go ahead, I saw you.”

“No, thank you.” Max shook her head, pushing back Chloe’s hand. “The whole smoking thing is not for me.”

Chloe chuckled. “You’re too cute. Probably for the best though. Not exactly the healthiest pastime” She kicked a loose pebble, sending it skittering across the pavement until it fell into a pothole. “So, back to Warren. What are you going to do?”

“I think he’ll come around.” They climbed over a small grassy area as they approached Chloe’s truck. “But I guess that’s not what I’m worried about.”

“What is it then?”

“Well… I mean it’s been the same thing every time I talked to someone. Kate, Dana, Warren, my parents…” She stood behind Chloe, waiting for her to unlock the car. “They keep asking those questions, and I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. I can’t tell them the truth, especially not after what happened. And the rest…” She paused for a moment. “I just don’t want to talk about.”

Chloe stepped aside to let Max get in the truck. She however stayed outside, taking a last drag of her cigarette. “Look. I’ve been telling you that you don’t need to talk if you don’t want to. And no one should force you to.” She flicked her cigarette to the ground and stomped it out with the tip of her boot. “If they can’t accept that, then they are doing something wrong.”

“I just don’t know…” Max let her feet dangle out of the car, her hands gripping tightly into the old fabric of her seat. “You’re the only one I can open up to, and even that is difficult…”

“Hey…” Chloe patted Max’s knee. “I’m sorry you feel that way. But if they’re really your friends, they’ll understand.”

“I hope you’re right.” Max was filled with doubt, and it showed. “I fear I can’t keep it up. I don’t want to lose my friends. They’ll probably think I don’t want to talk to them…”

“Come on. Don’t drive yourself crazy over something that’s clearly not true.” Raindrops had begun to fall, but Chloe did not budge, even as her hair and clothes became wet. “You don’t owe them answers,” she insisted, “and Warren, well he’s probably not over the fact that he won’t get into those pants of yours. That and being in the hospital.”

“Yeah… I actually kind of understand him.” Max’s gaze wandered over the hospital looming behind them. A sad smile crossed her lips. “But maybe it’s what he needed to hear.”

“Like you said, he’ll come around.” Chloe took a step back and gripped the truck’s door handle. “Now let’s go home. We have a busy afternoon in front of us.” She winked at Max. “One that involves a lot of pictures.”


	12. Today, We’ll Be Ninjas

Chloe breathed a contented sigh as the door fell shut behind her. After their hospital visit, and an uneventful drive, she and Max had finally arrived back at her home. Even in its current state it was a more than welcome sight. Neither the lack of electricity plaguing most of Arcadia Bay, nor the slight storm damages the house had suffered, could dampen the inviting warmth greeting them. It seemed as if the outside world was unable to penetrate the Price household.

“Mom?” Chloe asked. She waited at the bottom of the stairs. “We’re back. You there?”

“I’m in here, Chloe.” Joyce’s voice came echoing from the living room.

Joyce was lying on the couch, reading a book, her head propped up by a multitude of pillows. It was an unusual sight, in more ways than one. Seeing Joyce in a relaxed state, out of her work clothes, and not covered in grease stains was a rare occurrence. She even wore her hair down, the blue hair clip nowhere to be seen.

“Hey mom,” Chloe said, slumping into the nearest available chair.

“Hello Joyce,” Max added.

“Good morning you two.” Joyce welcomed them with one of her patented, warm smiles. “You were up unexpectedly early.”

“We went to the hospital.” Chloe glanced at Max, who went to stand near one of the windows. “A… friend of Max is in there.” She thought it best not the mention Frank, given that she had managed to keep their acquaintance a secret for many years. Nor was it an option to mention Max’s nightmare. “I uh…” She rubbed the base of her neck, finding it somewhat difficult to have an actual, normal conversation with her mother. “You were still asleep when we left, and… since you had a rough couple of days, I didn’t want to wake you.” 

“Oh honey…” Joyce replied. “Thank you, I appreciate that.” Her voice was just as warm as her smile.

“Well… you deserve it.” Once again, she glanced at Max. This time she earned a subtle, supportive nod. “So, how are you doing mom? Is everything all right?” she asked with renewed vigor.

Joyce seemed surprised. She slid a bookmark between the pages of her book and set it down at her side. “Thanks. I’m doing fine Chloe,” she said. “A bit sore maybe, but nothing I can’t handle.”

“If there’s anything I can get you just yell or something, okay?” Chloe gave her a serious look.

“It’s all right Chloe. You don’t need to do anything.” 

“Please,” Chloe insisted. 

“Fine.” Joyce smiled again. “As you wish.” With a small groan she sat up straight, before bringing her attention to Max. “Now Max, I hope your friend is doing fine.”

“He is,” Max assured her. “Looking rough, but he’ll be all right.” She fiddled with her hands as she took a tentative step forward. “You might remember him actually. Warren? He was in the diner with you.”

“Of course, I remember him,” Joyce exclaimed. “Young gentleman, around your age?” Max nodded in response. “It’s good to know he survived,” Joyce continued. “After that horrible explosion…” Her voice trailed off. A sigh followed. “I feared the worst. I… I hope the other people are alive as well.”

“I’m sure they are,” Max replied. Even though she tried, she did not sound as convincing as she had hoped.

“We uh…” Chloe jumped in. “We actually talked to an officer. He said everybody came out alive.”

Joyce’s eyebrows drew together. “When was that?”

“Friday,” Chloe replied. A nervous smile tugged on her lips. “We… we went looking for you. After the storm had passed. I… was worried something had happened to you.”

Joyce must have sensed Chloe’s unease. “You don’t need to explain yourself.” She leaned over to place a hand on her daughter’s arm. “I know you can take care of yourself. But I appreciate what you did for me. I’m so proud of you Chloe.” Her tone was firm, yet kind in the best way possible. “I… I do not know what I would have done if I had lost you. I can’t imagine…” She shook her head.

Chloe broke eye contact. It was a moment of hesitation. “Mom… it’s okay, I’m here.” She paused again, her mind racing. Her mother loved her, she had always known. And she had always loved her mother, even if at times the relationship had been strained. She had never shown it enough however, not in the way she could have, instead choosing to hide behind petty arguments, over and over again. 

But the events of the past week had left their mark. Now, her heart felt full, and she knew what she had to do. She jumped up, as if everything had suddenly become clear. In a flash she erased the distance that separated her from her mother. “I love you mom,” she said, opening her arms wide, and enveloping Joyce into a tight hug.

“Chloe!” Joyce was unable to hide her surprise, but she quickly slung her functioning arm around Chloe. “Oh, Chloe.”

“I love you,” Chloe repeated. Everything about her seemed small and vulnerable, no trace of her punk self left. She closed her eyes, but failed at chasing away the tears that began to inch down her face. The hug grew tighter, but she was ever mindful of her mother’s injuries. “I’m sorry mom. I’m so sorry.” She swallowed hard as a sob sprang from her chest. “I should have done this a long, long time ago.”

  


#### * * *

  


“You’re on a roll today,” Max whispered. She was closely trailing behind Chloe as they climbed the stairs to the upper floor. The wood creaked under each step they took. “First me, now your mom.”

Chloe’s eyes were still reddened with tears. “It’s all your fault,” she replied. A tiny laugh accompanied her words. “Making me rethink my life choices.” She slid her hand along the railing. “That and visiting the hospital. Reminded me that mom got lucky.” She vaulted up the last two steps and opened the door to her room. “That things… could have gone differently.” 

“I think it’s great.” Max joined Chloe in her room. “It was sweet, and Joyce looked really happy.”

“I have a lot to make up for,” Chloe said as she took off her beanie and jacket, draping both over the chair at her desk. “These past years I… I acted like a major jerk at times, while mom tried to keep this family going…” She planted her hands on the desk, lowering her head. Regret tinted her every word. “I know a hug is not going to change that, but baby steps, you know?”

“No, I get it. Everybody has to start somewhere.” Max stood behind her, and gently rubbed her back. “It is really nice to see you two happy. Reminds me of old times.”

“Yeah…” Chloe turned around. “Speaking of old times. I promised you we’d do a little something.” She smiled, her knowledge of what was to come seemingly invigorating her.

“You did,” Max said. Once again, her interest was piqued. “Are you gonna tell me now?” 

“Nope, not just yet.” Chloe hurried back to the door and grabbed the handle. “You wait here, and sit tight. I’ll be back in a few.” She gave Max a wink. “Gotta get some stuff.” She skipped out of the room and disappeared around the corner.

“Hey, wait,” Max exclaimed.

It took a few seconds, but Chloe returned, sticking her head through the door frame. “What?”

“You uh… you’re going to enjoy this as well, right?” Max asked. “I don’t want you to do something just for me, okay?”

Chloe nodded. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll love it.”

“Good.” Max could not help but smile as Chloe vanished again, even though she still had been left in the dark. Despite everything, Chloe’s giddiness was palpable, and infectious. After her nightmare, and after her fight with Warren, Max was all too ready to indulge in Chloe’s antics, whatever they may be. But there was more to it than that.

As she crouched down to take off her shoes, her eyes found the old wooden board which once resided in the garden. The drawings they had done as kids, while still visible, had faded over time, the colors weathered by years of exposure to the elements. It was now empty, the clues surrounding their investigation into Rachel’s disappearance were gone, but they were not forgotten. 

It did not take long for the door to swing back open. Max glanced over her shoulder, struggling to peel her eyes away from the board. Chloe was balancing two boxes, precariously stacked on top of each other. She placed them on the bed, then bounded over to Max. Standing behind her, she wrapped her arms around Max’s waist. “Looks better without all that stuff on it,” she said softly.

“It does,” Max replied. “Did David take it?”

“Hmm?” Chloe’s face contorted in confusion. It took her a moment to understand, but recognition dawned. “Oh, sorry, right. You weren’t really there.” She moved a little closer, and rested her chin on Max’s shoulder. “He didn’t take it,” she explained. “I stuffed everything in a box. It’s under the bed.”

Max turned her head, just enough to be able to look at Chloe. “Why? Didn’t David need it for the police?”

“No. He said he had his own evidence. We just did as you asked, told him what we found, and he realized he just pieced it together all wrong. Then he left for the police. And I uh… I… wanted to avoid questions. About how or where we got certain items, you know.”

“Okay…” Max frowned. Her doubt was audible.

Chloe gave Max a delicate squeeze. She felt her tension. “You’re worried that we’re going to get dragged into this whole police investigation, aren’t you?”

“A little. Yes,” Max admitted. 

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” Chloe said calmly, “David told us to stay home and not get involved any further, so I doubt he would mention us. And the police knew he had his own thing going, they probably don’t care too much either. Now that they got that fucker… Unless they wanna know that two teenage girls did in four days what they couldn’t in six months.” 

“It is pretty embarrassing.”

“More like infuriating…” For a moment, Chloe sounded harsh and cold. “Anyway,” she said after a taking a deep breath, “I wouldn’t worry about the police. David would have told us if anything had come up.”

“Okay.” Max eased up. “I’m quite ready to leave all that stuff behind.”

“Me too, believe me.” Chloe tugged on Max’s hoodie, nestling into the crook of her neck. “There’s other things I’d rather do...”

“Like?” Max asked, oblivious to Chloe’s intentions.

Chloe smirked. “This.” Her lips grazed against Max’s skin, planting soft kisses that traced a line along her throat. Max shuddered under every touch, causing Chloe to laugh lightly. “You can be such a dork,” she whispered in Max’s ear. “But you’re _my_ dork.”

Max’s cheeks grew red. “What are you doing? Stop-” She gasped as Chloe continued her affectionate assault, kissing her below the ear, the neck, her jawline… and for the first time in her life, she had to stifle a moan. Secretly, she relished every moment, melting under the sensation.

“Make me.”

Chloe did not need to tell her twice. She spun around, and cupped Chloe’s cheeks in her hands, rising on her tiptoes to bring their lips together. The kiss was sweet and innocent at first, but it grew more passionate by the second. Chloe’s hands trailed up Max’s back, until they clawed through brown locks, and as it had been the case so often, they banished the world around them to a faraway place.

It was Chloe who pulled away first. Her lips still brushed against Max, their breaths mingling, caressing each other’s skin. Max’s eyes fluttered back open, meeting Chloe’s adoring gaze, and for once, Chloe was blushing as well. Max smiled at the sight of her flustered girlfriend. She bit her lower lip, savoring the faint taste of minty gum Chloe had been chewing on the way back home.

“Damn Max… That was amazing,” Chloe said, her voice low and breathy. “I love you so much.”

Max was all smiles, and her heart racing. “I love you too,” she replied as she slipped out of Chloe’s embrace. “And thank you. For being patient with me.”

“Uh… Sure?” Chloe looked confused. “Don’t quite get where this is coming from though.”

“I meant to thank you earlier,” Max clarified. “For not rushing too much, for being patient, for… you know, just being there for me.” She threw herself back into Chloe’s arms. “For being the best friend, and the best girlfriend I could hope for.”

Chloe held her close. She didn’t say anything, there was no need. She kissed Max’s forehead, the sweet scent of Max’s tousled hair tickled her nose. She waited until Max pulled away again, looking for a hint of unease in Max’s eyes, but she found none. “You know,” she said, “for a moment just now, I thought I might be going too fast, so I’m kinda relieved right now.”

“Maybe you were.” Max grinned and shrugged. “But I… I actually kind of liked it.”

“I noticed. Still, I’ll remember next time.” She wore a playful look. “Now… you ready for that surprise I promised you?”

Max nodded. “I’m all yours.”

“Come on then,” Chloe said. She plopped down on her bed, patting the space next to her. Max was quick to join her, scooting over to the center of the bed. “So.” Chloe grabbed one of the two boxes she had brought in earlier, and placed it on her lap. “You remember that picture we took yesterday. In your room?”

“I do. It hasn’t been that long.”

“Right. Just checking. Gotta make sure your memory is working.” She tapped a finger against her temple. “Anyway… It got me thinking you know, and I thought that maybe… maybe… we could make a picture wall. Like the one you have. If you don’t mind me stealing your idea.” She almost seemed embarrassed, not by the idea itself, but by her self-perceived lack of originality.

Max’s entire face lit up, her mouth opening to reveal a toothy smile. “It’s hardly my idea,” she said. “And why the hell would I mind? It’s a great idea!”

“Dunno.” Chloe shrugged. “Just… thought I should ask.”

“And you call _me_ cute.”

“Oh, screw you,” Chloe giggled. She pushed the second box over to Max. “Here. I got busy and dug up these old pictures of us, from when we were younger. I thought we could go through them and choose some for the wall. Like an elimination process.”

“Oh my god.” Max’s eyes switched back and forth between Chloe and the box. She was filled with pure joy, but also a hint of surprise. “You still have all those pictures?”

“Of course.” Chloe pursed her lips, a shoulder twitching up a down. She was ever so slightly taken aback. “They were on the attic for a while,” she admitted. “There was a time I didn’t want to see them, but I think it’s about time to bring them back.”

Max removed the lid on her box. It was filled to the brim with old photos. “This is so cool. I can’t believe it.”

“You _seriously_ thought I would throw them away? You know I almost never throw stuff away.” 

“No, I just…” A brief wave of sadness rolled over Max. “I guess I just forgot about them.”

“Yeah well… Then I guess this will be a trip down memory lane for the both of us.” She pointed at Max’s box. “Please, after you.”

“All right.” Max closed her eyes. She reached into the box, her fingers flicking through the pictures. After a couple of seconds, she pulled a photo from the stack. “Wowser,” she said, staring at the picture she had chosen.

“What is it?” Chloe asked. Her tone was equal parts curiosity and excitement. 

“Here, take a look.” Max flipped the picture over, and held it out for Chloe to take. 

Chloe almost yanked it out of Max’s hand. “Holy shit.” Her jaw went slack as she inspected the picture. “This was at your place, right? Down in the living room. I remember that old grandfather-clock. And that _horrible_ wallpaper.”

“Yeah. My old home...” Briefly, the thought of how it would look five years later, of how it had fared in the storm, entered Max’s mind, but she managed to shake it off. Instead, she crawled over to Chloe, craving to sit right next to her. “I think that was on my sixth birthday. Not long after we first met.”

“Man.” Chloe’s look was one of utter disbelief. “That must have been one of the first times I was over at your place.”

“I’m not sure, but I think it was the first time actually. Didn’t your dad bring you over? And then we were running around the house all afternoon.” 

“Holy shit.” Chloe could only repeat her words. “Fuck. You’re right. He must have taken this picture.”

_“Go on daddy! Hurry up!”_

_“Please honey. Give your old man a chance. Now girls, I want you two to give me your biggest smiles, understood? Okay? That’s great! Now, say cheese!”_

_“Cheese!”_

_“There… you go. Just one more moment, and… done! Now go on kiddos, I release you. Go and have some fun. And Chloe, don’t forget to behave!”_

_“Yes dad…”_

_“Come Chloe, I want to show you my room!”_

Chloe leaned her head against Max. “Just look at us,” she said. “We were so small. And you with your cute face full of freckles.”

“Says the one with the missing teeth,” Max teased.

“Says the one whose face is still full of freckles,” Chloe replied. She nudged Max’s side with her elbow. “Just look at them.” She poked Max’s cheek. “All those freckles.”

“Hey, stop!” Max quickly brought hands to her face, trying to hide herself. Once more a slight crimson tint splashed across her skin.

Chloe grabbed Max’s wrists and gently pried her hands away. “Dude. I love your freckles.” She promptly placed several pecks on Max’s cheek. “Every single one. They’re hella cute.”

“You’re lucky I love you so much,” Max said in between giggles.

“Well yeah. I’m the best girlfriend one could have.”

“Ugh. I know what you’re doing.” Max groaned and rolled her eyes. “But go ahead, tease me all you want.”

“Hey… Hey… It meant a lot to me when you said that.” 

Max’s shoulders and face dropped in unison as Chloe spoke. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to come across all bitchy. I didn’t mean it that way.” 

“I know you didn’t. And come on, it takes more than that.” Chloe rubbed Max’s leg. “It’s just cool to hear something nice about yourself once in a while. Didn’t happen all that often these past years…” Her tone shrank as she spoke.

Max squeezed Chloe’s hand, her thumb caressing the soft skin. She admired Chloe’s honesty. It was rare for her to allow glimpses into her more vulnerable side. She was trying to be strong, the way she had always done, even dating back to when they were kids. Max had always appreciated that strength, wishing she could be a little more like her. 

Chloe’s gaze settled on their interwoven fingers. She bent down, placing a lingering kiss on the back of Max’s hand. “Come on, enough of that mushy stuff. Let’s get back to it,” she said after a few moments, nuzzling Max. “I… think that picture is a keeper.”

“Definitely,” Max replied. She motioned at the box in Chloe’s lap. “Now it’s your turn to pick one.”

“Okay. Wish me luck.” She crossed her fingers, and just as Max had done before, she began her search for a picture. “I choose… This one.” Upon seeing her choice, she immediately scrunched up her nose. “Captain Bluebeard…” she muttered and showed Max the picture.

“Not what you wanted?” Max asked. It was an old photo of Chloe, worn by time. She was dressed in her pirate garb, thrusting a plastic saber toward the sky.

“No. There’s a distinct lack of Long Max Silver in that picture.”

“I think it’s cute.”

“Then here.” She handed Max the picture. “You can have if you want. I don’t mind.”

“Cool, thank you.” Max placed a quick kiss on Chloe’s cheek, before returning her focus to the picture. A mellow frown crossed her brows. “Don’t you find it weird to see how different we looked when we were young? I can’t even imagine you having your natural hair color.”

Chloe had begun to rummage through her box. “I could grow it out for you,” she said matter-of-factly, not bothering to look up.

“No, don’t do that. The blue suits you. I like it.” She flashed Chloe a small smile, and dove into her own box. “I uh… I… actually think you look really beautiful with it.”

Chloe chuckled. “Thanks.” She looked up, and ran her free hand through Max’s hair. “We should get you some color as well. You’d look fucking awesome with some red in there.”

“I don’t think that’s quite my style. But uh...” She perked up a little. “You really think so?”

“Hell yeah dude. You’d look badass. And you can take a chance every now and then.”

Max shifted, crossing her legs. “Hmm…” she mused, “Maybe I will think about it.” There was an undeniable curiosity in her voice.

“That’s the spirit.” She gave Max a light shoulder bump, and resumed her hunt. After some moments she stopped again, plucking a picture from the box. “Oh sweet. What about this one?”

Max squinted, peering past Chloe. “When was that? It’s definitely your room, but I can’t remember when.”

“Are you serious?” Chloe shrieked, and with a playful shove she sent Max onto her back. “You can’t remember your first sleepover? We crept downstairs to try and watch movies all night because we didn’t want to go to sleep.”

_“Are you sure you want to do this? What if your parents catch us?”_

_“Don’t be a chicken, or are you afraid Max?”_

_“No, I… I just think we have to be careful. I don’t want to get into trouble.”_

_“We’ll be ninjas. They’ll never know.”_

_“I thought we were pirates.”_

_“Max? We’ll be whatever we want to be! Whatever we need to be! And, today? Today, we’re ninjas.”_

“Shit yeah, I remember now.” Max said. She propped herself up by her elbows. “We snuck downstairs and build a huge pillow fort.” She broke into a grin and paused for dramatic effect. “Then we fell asleep an hour later.”

“We totally did.” Chloe set her box aside and reclined as well. “Mom found us huddled up on the couch the next morning. I can still see her face…”

“The look of pure horror?”

“She was _surprisingly_ chill about it,” Chloe recalled. “You even spent the next night as well.”

Max breathed a shallow sigh as she laid back down, staring up at the ceiling. “That was the first time I slept in this bed.”

“With many more to come.” Chloe rolled onto her side, their legs tangling together as she took the opportunity to snuggle up to Max. With her arms loosely draped across her girlfriend’s midriff, and her head nestled against her chest, she fell quiet, and a comfortable stillness overtook them.

Max stroked her hair, urging her closer. Chloe wordlessly complied. Max was relaxed, savoring not only the affection, but also the chance to provide Chloe the same comfort and love she had given her. To be her guiding light in the darkness. 

As they lay there, she basked in the countless memories they had made in this very place. So much of Chloe’s room had changed over the years, but so much more had stayed the same. The same old furniture, the same old bed, the latter still creaking the same old way. There were still more clothes on the floor than anywhere else, more posters than wall, and the waste basket was still overflowing at every turn. Even the old scent lingered, only hiding behind the smoke of many cigarettes. 

Despite the chaos, Chloe’s room had always had a certain warmth to it. A warmth to be found nowhere else. Sometimes, it was the soft pitter-patter of raindrops against the roof, other times, the way dust danced in the morning sunlight. It was the smell of a freshly cooked breakfast creeping through the gap beneath the door, or the soft fabric of cotton bed sheets—these four walls never lacked soothing sensations Max could cherish and find shelter in. 

After many minutes, it was Max who broke their silence. Her fingertips grazed along Chloe’s tattoo, tracing the many colors as she admired the intricate design. “I spent so much time here. It was always like home to me, I always felt welcome,” she said, her words just as light as her touch. “When you brought me here on Monday all those memories came flooding back.”

“Not just for you,” Chloe replied. She twisted a little, craning her neck, yearning to be able to gaze into Max’s eyes. “Remember, how after school we’d go to the diner to eat, then race each other home so we could play before mom’s shift ended and she’d make us do homework?”

“I do. You were always faster than me.”

Chloe lifted a leg, wriggling her toes as she did. “That’s because these have always been longer than yours.”

“At least I wasn’t the one who barfed all over the sidewalk because she ate too much.”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me.” Chloe shuddered, and pressed herself closer to Max, her hold tightening. “I still can’t eat their fried fish.”

A dainty laugh escaped Max as she nuzzled into Chloe’s cheek. Some seconds of silence followed. “I love this,” she said. “Just us, like this.”

“Yeah,” Chloe agreed. “But at this rate we’ll never finish that wall.”

“You’re the one who started being all cuddly.”

“You complaining?”

“No. Not at all.” Max smiled, and took a deep, savoring breath. “But maybe we should get on with it.”

“We really should, yes.” With a satisfied groan, Chloe slid away from the embrace she had found herself in. She stretched lazily and got up. “Hey, I’m gonna go check on mom, and get us something to drink. Any wishes?”

“I’m fine with soda,” Max said.

“All right. I’ll be right back.” She opened the door, but stopped and turned around. “And, you better find me some good pictures in the meantime.”

Max sat up as well, and grabbed one of the boxes, heaving it back into her lap. “I’ll do my best.”

Chloe gave Max a dutiful nod, then disappeared from view. Bit by bit the sound of her footsteps grew quieter, and with her gone, Max began rifling through the pictures once more. Many of them she recognized, some not, but all of them brought back memories.

Whether it was them playing on the swing-set in the garden, running along the beach and daring each other to get their feet wet, or visiting the amusement park on Chloe’s tenth birthday, in Max’s mind they all cemented one fundamental truth. That no matter what the universe would throw at them, that no matter what their fates would be, they would find a way to be with each other.

As best friends.

As girlfriends.

As soulmates.

Nonetheless, when Chloe returned, a large bottle of soda and two glasses in hand, Max stumbled across a picture, and her face went blank. She retrieved it from the box, her movement languid, almost shocked. Chloe noticed right away. “What is it?” she asked, depositing the bottle and glasses on her desk.

A sad smile twisted the corner of Max’s mouth. She placed the photo on the bed, in front of her. “That’s at the top of the lighthouse,” Chloe said, furrowing her brow, “back when they didn’t bother to lock it.”

Max nodded. It looked as if a small pool of tears welled up in her eyes. “I never told you, but… that was the day my parents told me that… that we would have to leave. Not the day I told you… but the day they told me that dad had gotten a new job and we would be moving to Seattle soon.” She wiped away a tear. “They tried to explain, but I wouldn’t listen. I got so angry I just came running here.”

Chloe listened intently as she eased herself down. “You had me take dad’s camera. Then… you dragged me up to the lighthouse.” 

_“Max, what’s going on? You’re acting super weird right now. And what are we doing here?”_

_“I don’t know. I just… thought we could have an adventure. Like… like we always say we would when we grow up.”_

_“Sure. But we have adventures every day.”_

_“Not like this! Don’t you want to leave, and… and run away? You know and see the world, far from here. A real adventure, just you and me.”_

_“Our lives are an adventure already, Max. And we’ll do all that stuff when we grow up. We have time.”_

Chloe stared at the picture. “You had to leave two weeks later,” she said somberly.

“Yes… I’m sorry for bringing it up.” Max shook her head, feeling a dull heaviness in her chest. “I know that time was difficult for you.”

“It’s okay,” Chloe assured her. “It’s not like it was any easier for you.”

Max did not respond. She picked up the picture, gingerly touching it. “You know, it’s weird. It’s a beautiful picture, but the reason it exists is not. That day… In fact, I remember it turning out great. You made me forget what was to come, or had been. Like you always do. And yet…” She waved her hand, motioning at the boxes. “It reminds me that among all these, there’s barely any of the time that came after. That there’s this hole in our lives that we’ll never be able to fill.”

“Maybe not. Maybe we don’t have to.” Chloe draped an arm around Max’s shoulder. “Like we said, we’re going to make up for every moment we lost. We’ll have our adventures, and our memories. Nothing will stop us.” She rocked her lightly from side to side. “We’re actually making new memories right now.”

Max allowed herself a subdued laugh, even as a thought nagged at her. “You’re right,” she said instead, “and they’re great, all of them. This… has been special and… magical, Chloe. I’m loving every moment of it.” She wound her arms around Chloe’s neck, and reached up to kiss her. “Thank you for this.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Chloe said as Max pulled away. “And we’re far from done. We only have two pictures so far and haven’t even made a dent.”

“Three.” Max handed Chloe the picture of them at the lighthouse. “I think it belongs on there. It’s part of our lives.”

“All right.” Chloe scooted over to the middle of the bed, bringing a box with her. “Three down. A lot more to go.”

For the better part of the afternoon, they not only scoured the boxes, but also a myriad of photo albums. They searched for the pictures which best summed up their lives, all while reminiscing and rediscovering parts of their childhood. Their conversations were loaded full of nostalgia, but also the occasional tinge of melancholy. Tears of joy mingled with those of sadness, the only constant being the smiles and laughs ultimately sprouting from their reflections.

Over time, both boxes emptied more and more, and the collection of pictures worthy of Chloe’s wall grew in equal measure. In the end, pictures were not only spread out all over the bed, but also parts of the floor, creating a veritable maze of memories.

Max sat on the floor, slouching against Chloe’s bed. “I’d never thought I’d say this,” she said, overlooking their progress, “but we have way too many pictures.”

“Yeah,” Chloe agreed. She took a sip of her soda. “We might have to do a second pass.”

Max glanced around the room, inspecting every wall. “Where do you even plan on putting all these? Your walls are already full.”

Chloe set down her glass, and jumped on the bed. She was careful to avoid the pictures. “Right here,” she said, gesturing to the wall right behind the bed. “Kinda like you have yours.”

Max shifted a little, and glanced over her shoulder. “You wanna get rid of your posters?”

Chloe looked indifferent as she eyed the wall. “It’s just stuff from old magazines. I could put them up somewhere else.”

“I don’t think that’s gonna happen,” Max replied dryly. The thought from earlier sill lumbered in her mind. 

“Whatevs. Shut up.” Chloe grabbed the corner of a poster and tore it off the wall. Her back was turned to Max, and a small grin appeared between her lips.

Max cocked her head. She kept seeing the pictures, but also those that were missing. Her mouth opened, and closed again. “Chloe?” she asked at last, deciding to make her thoughts known. “There’s some-” Before she could finish her sentence, a crumpled-up poster bounced off the back of her head. “Hey!” she exclaimed. “Don’t!”

“Never.” Chloe grinned and began tearing off more posters.

“Please,” Max insisted. She lobbed the poster into the trash, shooting Chloe a mild glare. “There’s something I want to ask you.”

“Okay?” Chloe stopped and took on a more serious expression. “What is it?”

Max grimaced as she drew her lower lip between her teeth. “All these moments, all these memories. They’re of us. And that’s great… but… don’t you want to have some pictures of Rachel as well?” 

Chloe was stumped. The posters in her hand fell to the ground. “I… I don’t know.” Her voice turned small and her posture slumped. “I…” She climbed off the bed and joined Max on the floor. Her head fell against the mattress. “I don’t actually have that many. Pictures were always your thing.”

“Maybe that’s a good reason to add them?” Max said, towing the line between careful and shy.

“I don’t know,” Chloe repeated. “I thought it was our wall.”

“It’s your wall,” Max corrected her. “Rachel was just as much a part of your life as all these.” Again she pointed at the pictures. “She was there when I wasn’t, and while I never knew her, I can tell she made an impact. I know she was important to you. I’m sure that… that part of you is the way it is because of her. And I’m truly grateful for that.” She took Chloe’s hand. “That’s why I’m asking.”

“I know. I get it, Max.” She shook her head, forcing smile. “But… it’s not that easy.”

Max looked away, as her gaze dropped to the floor. “Then I’m sorry…”

“Hey, I didn’t say that I don’t want to talk.” She patted Max’s thigh. “You free?”

A sense of relief washed over Max. She managed a weak chuckle, and an equally weak nod. “Go ahead.”

“Thanks doc.” Chloe lay down, her legs curling up to her body. With her head settled in Max’s lap, she gazed up at her girlfriend. She inhaled deeply. “I’ll be honest. Earlier, when you asked me about the evidence? I told you I wanted to avoid unnecessary questions. But, that’s not the entire truth. Not quite anyway… It’s just… Seeing all that stuff reminded me that Rachel’s… gone, forever… And I… I just couldn’t stand to look at it anymore. And it’s the same with all those pictures of her. I can’t bear to look at them. It hurts to see her, knowing that she’s gone.”

Max’s heart ached, her insides twisting with each of Chloe’s words. With every syllable she drew her closer.

“I know there’s a funeral coming,” Chloe was nervously playing with her necklace as she spoke. “I know I can’t run from it, that I can’t ignore it forever. And honestly, I don’t want to. But right now, it’s just… pain and hurt whenever I think about it... So, I’d rather not. Maybe it will be better in a few days, maybe not, but at least I know that you help me every second of every moment we’re together.”

Max simply listened, and as she did, she caressed Chloe’s face, her fingers gently moving up and down the slope of Chloe’s cheek. Every so often they’d brush past her lips, eliciting the tiniest of responses. “I’m glad I can help,” she said after Chloe fell silent. Her voice wavered, betraying her emotions. “Like… you’ve been helping me. I didn’t mean to bring all that stuff up to hurt you, I just thought that maybe you’d like to remember her as well.”

“You’re right. I want to. But I’m not ready yet. I’m not sure when I will be.” She leaned against Max’s hand, nuzzling into her touch. “But if you don’t mind I’d like to leave a few spots empty. Whenever I do feel ready, we could fill them with her pictures. I’m sure she would have loved it.”

“We should do that,” Max agreed. “I’d love to hear some stories about her. I’m sure there are some great ones.”

“There are. I’ll tell you someday...” She reached up to brush a strand of hair from Max’s face, her hand lingering as she cupped Max’s cheek. “You know I learned something recently. There was a time, like a few years back, when mom would hide all the pictures of dad. In her room, downstairs… They’d just vanish, and I’d find them in some cardboard box in the garage. Sometimes I’d take them and be a dick by putting them back up, only for them to disappear again.” She rolled her eyes. “I was an idiot. I never got why mom would not want to see those photos. For the longest time I thought she just didn’t care. But I do now. That was just her way of grieving. She couldn’t look at them, knowing that he was gone. Just as I can’t look at the pictures of Rachel now…” She sighed. “I guess that’s just another thing I have to apologize for.”

“I’m sure Joyce understood. She wasn’t the only grieving.”

“Still, it’s no excuse,” Chloe replied. “I was sixteen, not some little kid. I should have known back then.”

“Come on. Chloe,” Max said. Briefly, her tone slipped into firmer territory. “You keep telling me I shouldn’t blame myself. And yet there you go…”

“Yeah. I guess it’s not that easy.”

“It isn’t...” Max continued her caresses, her fingertips keeping the same gentle rhythm. “But I’m proud of you. You’re a great daughter, and at the risk of repeating myself, a great girlfriend.”

“You’re pretty great yourself.” A smile returned to Chloe’s face. A beat of silence followed, as she relished in the feeling of Max’s tenderness. “Look at us. Dealing with things.”

“We are getting pretty good at this.” Max bent down to kiss Chloe’s forehead, and as she did, she glanced at the pictures spread out around them. “Hey,” she whispered, “how would you like to throw some more posters at me now, and maybe finish that wall?”

Chloe groaned. She rolled onto her side, and snuggled up to Max. “It’s so comfortable here,” she said, burrowing her face into the soft fabric of Max’s hoodie. “Let’s stay a few more minutes, please. After that, I’d love to do _all_ of what you just said.”

  


#### * * *

  


At long last, Chloe added the final picture to the wall. It had taken many hours, and the evening sun, still fighting against the thick cover of clouds, was about to creep over the horizon. Darkness was slowly taking hold of Arcadia Bay.

Max and Chloe climbed off the bed, moving back to the middle of the room. They stood in silence, studying their handiwork.

The collage reached to the very top of the wall, spreading from the window to the left, to parts of the slanted ceiling to their right. However, not all of their pictures were on display, certain spots left empty to be filled with new memories at a later date.

“So?” Max asked. “Do you like it?”

“ _Hell_ yes. It’s so much better than I had hoped.” Chloe’s smile could not be contained. She was positively radiating. “But,” she said, putting her hands on Max’s shoulders. “It’s not quite done yet.”

“It looks pretty much finished to me,” Max stated matter-of-factly.

“Well, you are wrong. There’s a little something missing.” She skipped to her desk, and opened the top drawer. She spun around, and while making sure to keep her hands hidden behind her back, she sauntered back to Max. As she did, her expression bounced back and forth between pure adoration and timid shyness, but no matter how, Max simply reveled in the blue of her gleaming eyes.

For a moment Chloe waited, smiling, before taking Max’s hand. “Here,” she said softly, placing a picture facedown in the palm of Max’s hand. “I said I wanted to give this a special place.”

Max peered into Chloe’s eyes. She knew which photo Chloe had handed her. There was no need for her to look. “That’s the picture we took yesterday.”

“It is.” Chloe nodded, and pointed at the wall. “And that empty spot there, right in the middle? That’s where it’s gonna go.”

“Chloe… You’re incredible,” Max shook her head in disbelief, not knowing what else to say. She admired the way Chloe always managed to surprise her, the way she always managed to exceed expectations.

“You started this,” Chloe replied. “You insisted I keep it. I only had the idea later, so at least part of the credit is yours.” She put her own hand on top of the picture, pushing it a little toward Max. “Now, would you do me the honor?”

“Gladly.” She took the picture and traipsed over to the wall. As she came close, she noticed Chloe had already applied tape to the intended spot, and she could not help but smile. It was such a typical Chloe thing to do. “There you go,” she said, reaching over to add the picture. “Our memories.” She took a few steps back, returning to stand by Chloe side. “Our lives.”

“Our lives.” Chloe’s voice was warm and full of happiness. She wound her arms around Max, and moved in close, their foreheads, their noses, lightly touching. “You know, if there’s one thing I realized today, it’s that I have always loved you. That even when we were kids I loved you. Maybe not the way I do today, not quite, but it was still love, even if I was too young to realize it back then.” She kissed the top of Max’s nose. “So I guess… I love you, Max.”

“I realized something as well,” Max whispered. “When you said that we’d end up together one way or another? You were right. We would, always. These pictures… they’re proof.” She returned Chloe’s kiss. “So I guess… I love you too, Chloe.” 

Chloe laughed. “We really are very much in love, aren’t we?”

“We really are.” Max pressed her face into Chloe’s shoulder. From the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of her bag. Her mouth curved into a grin. “Hey, I have an idea.”

“What?” Chloe asked as Max broke away.

“I don’t have much film left,” Max explained, crouching down and pawing through her bag. “But this is a picture we have to take.” She stood back up, grinning, with her camera in hand.

Chloe wore the brightest of smiles, her face glowing. She didn’t need to answer. Hurrying back over, Max grabbed her arm, urging her to sit down on the bed. With their backs turned toward the wall, she held out the camera in front of them. “You ready?”

Chloe wrenched Max close, pressing their cheeks together. She all but lifted Max into her lap as she rocked her from side to side. “I am now.”

Max giggled. “Hey! Hold still please.” 

“Fine…” Chloe pouted. “Go on.”

“Okay, now…” Max slung her arm around Chloe’s neck. “One… two… three…” 

As the flash went off, Max quickly pressed her lips to Chloe’s cheek. Chloe was caught by surprise, blushing, a bright crimson tint crawling across her skin. “You little…” she said deviously. “Come here!” She slouched backward onto the bed, keeping her arms wrapped around Max’s waist. “This time you asked for it.”

Max shrieked as she was dragged along, but Chloe had no intention of letting her go, and in fact, Max did not object. “So…” Chloe smiled as she darted in, peppering Max’s neck with a series of tender, yet passionate kisses. No spot was left unloved. “What do you think? Another one for the wall?”

Max set the camera aside and rolled over. She was lying on top of Chloe, gazing down at her, losing herself in her eyes. Her look was one of pure love, as was Chloe’s. She leaned in close. Her hair cascaded down past her face, all her surroundings blocked out. Only Chloe remained. Her lips parted. “Absolutely.”


	13. Insomnia

Max came awake in the dark of night, drenched to the bone in a cold sweat. Her chest heaved as she gasped for breath, ripples of unease surging through her body with each beat of her pounding heart. For several long minutes she lay there, unmoving and panting, as unblinking eyes fixated on the ceiling. 

The night was far from quiet. Tiny raindrops pelted the windows, while whistling gusts of wind battered the roof. Somewhere down on the street a car passed, its headlights spilling over the room, before vanishing again a few seconds later.

Max lurched up and slipped out from under her covers. What remained of her dreams was slow to dissipate, the images lingering in the back of her mind, replaying time and again. With knees drawn up to her chest, her head hit the cold, photo-clad wall behind her.

Chloe’s presence was her only consolation. Her girlfriend lay beside her, fast asleep, her chest rising and falling with the steady cadence of her breathing. Her look was one of serene peacefulness.

With agonizing slowness Max reached out to touch her arm, to wake her, but she hesitated. Her hand hovered over Chloe, and she found herself unable, or maybe unwilling, to stir her from her slumber. 

Max shook her head. She retracted her hand, and instead, she wrapped her arms around her legs, clutching them tightly to herself. Her mind was restless, obsessive, inescapable thoughts barraging her at every moment. She continued to sit in silence, staring into the darkness, but never looking at anything. Soon, seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours, and after a while she lost track of time.

Max did not find any sleep that night.

  


#### * * *

  


_Three days later._

It was with heavy footsteps, each more sluggish than the last, that Max descended the stairs. She was headed for the kitchen, ready to help Joyce prepare breakfast. It was a routine she had picked up over the previous days, and despite her current disposition, she had no intent of breaking the promise she had made. While most of her time was spent with Chloe, and in the confines of Chloe’s room, she came to appreciate the occasional change of pace. Helping Joyce with the household chores was not only a form of expressing her gratitude, but also yet another way to latch onto any available distraction. 

As she reached the bottom of the stairs she stopped. Tugging hard on her shirt, she tried her best to straighten out its wrinkles, but it was to no avail. She gave it a final attempt, muttering a curse as it proved unsuccessful. Drawing in a long breath and chasing away the pinched expression on her face, she instead took the remaining steps toward the kitchen.

Joyce was already waiting. She stood leaned against the counter, nuzzling her lips around a steaming mug of coffee. The old TV in the corner was playing a news report, and it seemed to be claiming all of her attention, as she did not notice Max’s arrival.

Max threw a glance at the TV. The destruction around Arcadia Bay was still the dominant topic, and seeing the images had yet to become any easier. Putting on her best and fakest smile, she cleared her throat. “Good morning Joyce,” she said, causing the woman to flinch.

“Oh Max,” Joyce gasped, her hand flying to her chest. “You startled me good there.”

“I’m sorry,” Max apologized. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

Joyce set down her mug, and much to Max’s relief she reached over to turn off the TV. “My fault for not paying attention,” she said. “Don’t really need to see this first thing in the morning, don’t we?” As she studied Max, her expression changed, a smile waning. “Are you all right, Max? she asked in tone thick with worry. “Pardon me saying it, but you are not looking good this morning.” 

Joyce was right. For many days Max managed to hide it, even from Chloe. Exhaustion had a firm hold on her, and despite her best efforts at concealing it, she wore dark circles under her eyes. Her skin was pale, and it seemed as if the weight of her shoulders was enough to drag her down. 

“I’m fine. It looks worse than it is,” Max said. Her words were just as fake as her smile. “Just a bit of a headache, that’s all. I… didn’t sleep very well last night.” It was the same answer she had given Chloe earlier.

Joyce nodded, giving her an understanding look. “If you need it, we have something in the cabinet upstairs. For the headaches.”

“Thank you. I’ll get it later though, Chloe is using the shower at the moment,” she explained, gesturing to the ceiling. “And right now, I’m here to help you.” With renewed purpose she took a step forward, placing a hand on the counter for emphasis. She was ready to leave the conversation behind. “So, what can I do?”

“Well…” Joyce turned on the stove. “Now that we have power again, I think it’s high time we have us a real breakfast.” She took another sip of her coffee, and began gathering her cooking supplies, rummaging through various drawers. “You really don’t notice how much you’d miss those things, until they are gone.”

“You do.” It seemed as if Max had to grin and bear for a just a while longer. “I for one am looking forward to having my phone working again.”

“Ah yes, the most important thing for someone your age.”

“It is. It’s just a shame I left most of my stuff at Blackwell.” Max chuckled. For once it was a genuine sentiment, but it was quick to fade. “But anyway, what are we cooking?”

Joyce crouched down, retrieving a bowl from one of the cupboards. “There’s still not much in the fridge, but we have eggs and milk. So, I was thinking pancakes. How does that sound?”

“Sounds great.” Max skipped over to the fridge, eager to start. “Your pancakes are seriously the best.”

“Today they’re mostly likely going to be your pancakes.” A mixture of sadness and frustration filled Joyce’s voice as she eyed her broken arm. “You know. It’s so good to have you around Max.”

“It’s nice to be here,” Max said as she placed eggs and milk on the counter. “And I… I actually meant to talk to you about that.”

“Go on.”

“Well… You know tomorrow won’t be easy for Chloe. With Rachel’s funeral and all…” Max rubbed the back of her neck as she spoke, and for a moment she averted her gaze. “I don’t want to leave her alone… So… I wanted to ask you if I could stay a bit longer. Just a few more days, not long. I promise.”

“Max…” Joyce placed a hand on Max’s shoulder. “We already talked about this.” A sympathetic smile curved up her lips. “You feel free to stay as long as you’d like. I will not kick you out of this house for being here.”

“I know,” Max said. She had anticipated the answer, but nevertheless, relief sunk in with Joyce’s words. “I just wanted to make sure. I don’t want it to seem like I’m taking advantage by staying here. Especially since I have a room at Blackwell.”

“Oh please,” Joyce waved her hand in a dismissive fashion. “It’s nice to have more people in the house. Since the diner is gone I am more or less out of a job, and with David picking up additional shifts, it is great to have the company. And you’ve been such a fantastic help.”

“It’s the least I can do.”

“Either way Max. I’m very grateful.” Joyce resumed their breakfast preparation by cracking the eggs into the bowl. “Not just because you are helping me, but also because of Chloe. I haven’t seen her this happy in years. And I know it’s all your doing.” She rinsed her hands under the faucet. “All those pictures in her room just go to show who had been missing in her life. It’s so nice to see the _way_ you two have rekindled your friendship.”

Max frowned, unsure how to interpret the last of Joyce’s statement. She remained silent. Maybe she was reading too much into it.

“So, please,” Joyce continued. “She will be happy to hear that you are staying, and who am I to get in the way of that happiness?”

“Who’s going to be happy?” Chloe’s voice came echoing from upstairs.

“Speak of the devil…” Joyce whispered, leaning close to Max as she did. The distinct sound of Chloe careening down the stairs two steps at a time followed. “Good morning Chloe,” Joyce replied.

“Hey mom,” Chloe said as she entered the kitchen. Without a hint of hesitation she flung herself at her mother, pulling her into a long hug, and rocking her from side to side.

“I don’t think I will ever get used to this.” Joyce laughed.

It was a warm and fuzzy feeling which flared up inside Max. Chloe had been working hard on restoring her relationship with her mother. While she was the first to admit that they still had a long road ahead, Chloe, along with Joyce, seemed genuinely happy. Every day the cracks that had formed over the years healed more and more.

“So,” Chloe said, grinning. “What was that about Max staying?”

Joyce put a hand on her hips. “So you did hear.”

“Yeah.” Chloe’s face lit up. “What did you think the hug was for?”

  


#### * * *

  


“It feels weird to be here,” Max said as she climbed out of the truck, her eyes scanning the Blackwell parking lot. She was used to seeing it filled with rows of cars, some belonging to students, others to members of faculty. It was one of those places where certain cliques would spend time between classes, one of those places that were always, in one way or another busy, and full of life. However, today was no such day. There were no people, and only a handful of cars. One of them she recognized as being David’s.

“Why?” Chloe locked her truck. “It’s still Blackhell. Even looks the part now.”

Max shot Chloe a glare. “Not funny.” Her tone was about as dry as it could get.

“I… I’m sorry.” Chloe grew bashful. “I didn’t think there.” She handed Max her overnight bag. “But, what do you mean? It hasn’t been that long.”

“I mean… Usually I’d be sitting in algebra right now.” Max began to walk, with Chloe close by her side. “Racking my brain and all. But here I am, back for the first time in days. It just feels wrong.”

“What else were you gonna do? Sit here and wait? It’s not like you’re the only who left,” Chloe said as they climbed the stairs to the main campus. At the top, she spun around, overlooking the area. “Place is deserted, barely anyone around.”

“That only makes it worse.”

“Then come on. We don’t need to stay long.” Chloe skipped a few steps ahead, extending her hand toward Max. “Let’s just get your stuff, and bail.”

“Not here.” Max pushed away Chloe’s hand as she walked past. 

“Fine. Then let’s at least hurry.” Chloe smiled, seemingly undeterred by Max’s lack of enthusiasm. “I really don’t want to run into David. Been doing a perfectly great job at avoiding him so far.”

The rest of Blackwell Academy presented itself in an expected light, looking not unlike the parking lot. There was no chatter washing over them as they crossed the grounds, no students spending their lunch breaks soaking up rays of sun, and no people hurrying to class. It was an otherworldly, and eerie atmosphere which hung over the school. 

The damages it had suffered in the wake of the storm were still on full display. While ranging from a partially uncovered roof, to a blocked off swimming pool, it was the toppled over displays containing works of one Mark Jefferson which best described Blackwell. Within no more than a week, the proud establishment had become a place of broken lives and broken dreams.

To their surprise, and relief, a slightly different scene greeted them at the girls’ dormitories. It was not as abandoned as the rest of the school. Music was playing, muffled and only vaguely audible. It soon became apparent that it was originating from Taylor’s room, drowning out voices coming from within. On the other side of the hallway, the door to Dana’s quarters stood wide open, and they did not pass unseen.

“Max?” Dana called out upon seeing them. “Hey! Wait!”

Both Max and Chloe stopped dead in their tracks. Reluctantly Max turned around, and with an exaggerated roll of her eyes, and a large sigh, Chloe followed suit. “Hi Dana,” Max said, watching as the girl scrambled toward them. Somehow, her jeans seemed even more frayed and ripped than usual.

“’Sup Dana,” Chloe muttered. “Long time no see.”

“Yeah… It has.” Dana mustered Chloe from top to bottom, a curious expression on her face. “Chloe Price and Max Caulfield. I’ll be honest that’s not a combination I would have ever expected. I didn’t even know you two knew each other.”

“Uh… Since childhood actually,” Max said. “Chloe and I practically grew up together.”

“Hmm,” Dana mused, a small smile sinking in. “That’s really cool. Color me surprised.”

“I am,” Chloe said matter-of-factly. She glanced over her shoulder, and at their destination. “Coloring you surprised I mean. No offense.”

“None taken.” Dana shrugged. Her hands disappeared into her pockets. “So hey, I’m sorry about Rachel... I know you two used to hang out a lot.”

Chloe nodded, repaying her with a smile. “I’m sorry too. It’s not like you weren’t friends.”

Dana laughed lightly. “You’re right. Thanks.”

“I’m sorry as well,” Max added. Though Dana had never mentioned Rachel, she trusted Chloe’s knowledge. 

“And thanks as well.” Dana brought her attention back to Max. She shook her head. “Anyway. I just wanted to say hi, you kinda disappeared again.”

“Seems I am not the only one. It’s a ghost town.”

“Yeah…” Dana reclined against the wall. For a moment she fell silent, only the music from Taylor’s room filling the corridor. “Most people left to stay with their families. You know since classes are out... And they cleared out the main building so there’s pretty much no one around.”

“That’s uh, that’s good though, right?” Max fumbled with her bracelets. It had become one of her telltale signs of nervousness. While she was not aware of it, Chloe had come to learn to look out for many of her mannerisms. “I mean, that they’ve found a better place to stay.”

“Oh, it definitely is,” Dana agreed. “Looked pretty bad there for a while. I’m sure there’s better places to sleep than those class rooms.”

“I bet.” Max glanced at Chloe, who gave her a subtle nod.

“Hey Dana,” Chloe said. “Max and I we’re kinda in a rush, so-” As she spoke, the door to Taylor’s room swung open, loud music interrupting their conversation. However it was not Taylor who emerged from the room, but Victoria. She was looking her regular prim and proper self, but as she saw the trio she hesitated. Eyes locked onto Chloe and Dana for but an instant, but they lingered on Max. Surprise turned to annoyance, and annoyance to disdain.

She sneered, her nostrils flaring. With a scoff, and a chin held high, she began to march down the hallway, heading straight for the group. As she came close she did not veer off course. She bumped straight into Max’s shoulder, applying enough force to send her stumbling backward.

“Whoa!” Chloe caught Max, barely managing to grab her by the arm. Dana had jumped up as well. “You okay?” she asked.

“I… I’m… fine,” Max stammered. She held tightly onto Chloe, not sure of what had just transpired. Victoria was paying them no attention, simply continuing on her way.

“Okay, good. Stay here.” Chloe let go of Max, squirming away. Her voice changed from worry to anger, becoming sharp and cold. She balled her fists, taking a series of quick steps toward Victoria. “Hey! What was that for?” she shouted, but again Victoria was ignoring them. “Hey, I’m talking to you, you fucking piece of shit! _Hey!_ ” She was fuming, ready to stomp after her when she felt the weak grip of Max on her wrist. “What?” she snapped.

“Please, Chloe,” Max said as she urged her back, bringing her other hand into play. “She’s not worth the trouble. It’s okay.”

“Like hell it is.” With an icy stare she watched Victoria disappear into her room. As the door slammed shut, she turned to face Dana. “The fuck is her problem?” she asked, gesturing wildly as if Dana could offer her answers.

Dana had been curiously following Max’s and Chloe’s exchange. Her mouth hung slack, and she held up both hands. “I don’t know,” she said. “She seems bitchier than usual, I give you that. Yesterday I heard her arguing with her posse, and I thought she was just going through some stuff like everybody else, but this is new… I’m sorry I just don’t know.”

“Fuckin’ skank,” Chloe muttered under her breath.

Max let go of Chloe’s wrist. She realized it was time to leave. “Hey Dana, it’s been cool to see you,” she said, the words spilling out of her as she reached into her pocket, fumbling for her keys. She tried her best to keep her composure. “But I think Chloe and I we better get going.”

“S-sure. No problem.” Shock and surprise were still written on her face, but she gave Max a smile. “I didn’t mean to keep you.”

“No, no, it’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

“Right. Well…” Dana gave them a wave goodbye. “I’ll see you around. Don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t. Promise.” 

As soon as Dana had retreated to her room Max heaved a sigh. Not wasting another second, she stormed down the hallway, keys jangling in hand, and a dazzled, still visibly upset Chloe in tow. “Are you okay?” Chloe asked again.

“I told you. _I’m fine._ ” Max jammed the keys into the lock, wriggling them back and forth until she was able to thrust the door to her room wide open.

Chloe did not follow her. She remained standing in the doorway. “Are you upset?”

“Of course I’m upset.” Max dumped her bag on the floor and kicked it out of the way. Without granting Chloe as much as a glance she strode over to the window.

Chloe entered the room, carefully, as if sudden movement would worsen Max’s mood. “Is it because of me?” She squinted as Max opened the blinds. Sunlight flooded into the room, hitting her eyes and casting long shadows over Max’s silhouette. “I’m sorry if it’s because of me,” she clarified, closing the door behind her to grant them privacy.

“For fuck’s sake Chloe, no. It’s not because of you.” Max grabbed the bottle she kept on the window sill, and emptied it over her plant. It was probably too much water, but she did not care. “It’s just…” She set the bottle down, lowering her head. “Fucking Victoria…”

“Well, I’m sorry she’s such a bitch. She hasn’t changed in years…”

“I guess she can’t help it...” Finally Max turned around. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you didn’t go after her.”

Chloe slouched down onto Max’s couch. “You wouldn’t exactly let me…”

“Yes.” Max’s lips pressed together, her eyes narrowing in renewed irritation. “Because if you remember, I asked you not to get into trouble.” 

“I…” Chloe shook her head. Rather than throwing a reply at Max, and saying something she would come to regret, she picked up the guitar, her fingertips plucking at the strings. Max began rifling through her wardrobe, grabbing clothes with seemingly neither rhyme nor reason. The stillness hanging over them was unbearable. “Hey…” Chloe said softly. “You play this thing?”

“Sometimes.”

“Then you gotta play me a tune. Sometime.”

Max had collected a veritable pile of clothes. Among them was a simple black dress she had not worn in years. “Want me to serenade you?” she asked as she laid out everything on the bed. Her disinterest was clear to see, as was the sharpness in her answer.

“Ugh. _Fine_.” Chloe set the guitar aside and stood up. “What the hell is going on with you?”

“Nothing,” Max replied, folding a shirt. “I just want to pack and get out of here.”

Chloe wandered over and seated herself on the bed. With a piercing gaze she looked at Max, unflinching in her resolve. “Yeah. Sure.”

Max stared at her. Her arms fell slack at her side, and slowly, remorse and sadness tinted her features. Chloe didn’t deserve to be at the receiving end of her frustration. “I’m sorry.” The dark circles under her eyes seemed to grow even larger. “I’m tired,” she said, easing herself down. “Exhausted even.” The words got stuck in her throat. “I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in days. And I only want some peace and quiet… that’s all. No fight, no storm... But not even five minutes pass without some other shit happening.”

“Victoria.” Chloe sighed. “And me… Fuck. I’m sorry Max.”

“No, no, I told you, it’s not because of you.”

“I certainly didn’t help...”

“Chloe… Please. I don’t want to fight.” Heaviness weighed down her muscles, her limbs, her entire body. “It’s my fault, I lied to you… If I had been honest…”

“Things would have played out the same.” Chloe patted Max’s leg. She did not wish to press any further. “Let’s just agree to disagree, okay? I don’t want to see you like this.”

“All right.” Max ran a hand along Chloe’s forearm, stroking it gently. She leaned her head on her shoulder. It was clear to her that neither of them wanted to argue. “You’re a saint, you know that, right?”

“I was ready to bash Victoria’s face in.”

Max chuckled. “Okay, maybe not quite.” She grabbed another shirt, clutching it tightly. “So, does this count as our first fight?”

“Nah. Needs more yelling.” She gave Max a small nudge, and with it, a smile returned to her face. Tension washed away in both of them. “Here…” She bent down and picked up Max’s overnight bag, placing it in her lap. “Let me help you. The sooner we get out of here, the better. And once we’re back we’ll just watch a movie. Or two. You always fall asleep during those. And I promise I won’t leave your side until you got some rest.”

“You’re the one who always falls asleep,” Max corrected her. “But yes, I’d like that.” She placed a tender kiss on Chloe’s cheek. “Thank you.”

“I’ll be rooting for you.” She ruffled Max’s hair, reaching over to pick a shirt from the pile. “Now… You like things neat…”

“You know how to fold clothes?” Max asked with the tiniest of grins.

“I’m not that clueless,” Chloe said. She got to work, and after some seconds she presented Max the fruits of her labor. It was something vaguely resembling a folded shirt. She scrunched up her nose. “Though I admit I’d just stuff ‘em in there. Not worth the hassle.”

“Well, feel free to knock yourself out.” Max got up, thankful for Chloe’s help. “If you don’t mind I’ll check on my emails…”

“Wait a moment. Before you do…” Chloe stopped her. “You still… you still have Rachel’s clothes, right? From last week?”

Max nodded. “I do.” Instead of sitting down at her desk she retrieved the items in question. After her breakdown on Saturday she had placed them out of her sight, hiding them in her drawer. “Here,” she said, handing them to Chloe. “You should have them back.”

“Thanks.” Chloe gingerly ran her hand over the plaid shirt. It was loaded full of memories. “I don’t really know what I’m gonna with these,” she said, “but it’s nice to have them you know?”

“I’m sure Rachel would rather you have them than some girl she never knew.” Max sat down at her desk and turned on her laptop. “And I would feel weird wearing them.” 

“You’re probably right. But I must say you looked hella good in them.” 

Max’s laptop was slow to start. It was an older model, but over the years she had grown quite fond of it. “I still think they’re not my style,” she said as she entered her password. “I’ll stick with my hoodies.”

“I can tell,” Chloe quipped back as she resumed packing Max’s bag. 

“Oh shut up.” Max could not stifle her grin.

“There’s hundreds here.”

Max scanned her emails, shaking her head at Chloe’s silliness. Her inbox was mostly empty, and she found only one mail she had not yet read. It was from principal Wells. As she skimmed over its contents her eyes went wide, dizziness and shock coiling around her. Somewhere deep-down she had known such a day would come, but she was not prepared. After the storm she had buried even the faintest thought of it happening. She slammed the laptop shut, unable to read any further.


	14. Les Temps Sont Durs Pour Les Rêveurs

_Dear Students_

_It is with a heavy heart I write to you today, not only in my duty as principal of Blackwell Academy, but also as a friend. I want to use this opportunity to address some of the events of the past week, as well as outline the procedure of the coming days, and weeks._

_As you are all no doubt well aware by now, we have lost not only several valued and beloved students, but also members of faculty, with the tragic deaths of Alyssa Anderson, Evan Harris, Elisa Bianchi, Luke Parker and Josh Cooper. Each and every one of them will be missed and remembered as generous and talented people with a bright future ahead of them. In the same vein we would also like to remember the countless contributions Professor O'Sullivan, and Samuel Taylor have provided this school over the years. Their presence on this very campus will be missed._

_The staff of Blackwell Academy would herewith like to cordially invite you to a memorial service in honor of the deceased. The service will take place on Friday, the 18th of October, at 4pm in the gymnasium. Attendance is voluntary; however we would ask everyone to consider attending. We would also like to use the occasion to remember Rachel Amber, following the news of her tragic death._

_As to the future of this school, the future of the photography program, as well as my personal future as principal, additional information will be provided over the coming days. As of now, classes will resume in three weeks' time at the earliest, depending on the progress of the ongoing repairs_.

_I urge all of you to take this time to rest, to reflect and reach out if the need arises. The aftermath of these past days have placed terrible burdens on all of us, and we as a community have to be strong in these trying times. We understand the ramifications these events can have on a student body, and so we encourage you to call our 24 Hour Hotline (1-800-BLAWELL) to speak with a professional counselor. Your questions, your worries, and above all, your wellbeing, are our highest priority._

_Sincerely,_

_Raymond Wells_

By the time Chloe finished reading, Max was still in shock. There were no big emotions on display. No tears brought forth by sadness, no screams rooted in frustration or anger. There was nothing. Max simply sat at her desk, her face blank, her stare vacant. Her mind had withdrawn to a faraway place, and the light emanating from her laptop only accentuated the fatigue straining her features.

Chloe's hand rested on Max's shoulder, her fingers lightly digging through her shirt, and into her skin. The touch roused Max from her trance. "I'm sorry," Chloe said. Her eyes, and her tone, were teeming with concern. "Are you okay?"

Max placed a hand on top of Chloe's. She did not respond straight away. "Chloe, I know you mean well, so please don't take this the wrong way…" With her free hand she closed her laptop, banishing the email from sight. Her movements were slow, her tone subdued, and while she acted calm and collected, the words following betrayed her. "But I am so _fucking_ sick and tired of hearing that question. Every day, _everybody_ keeps asking me if I'm okay. And I appreciate it, but…" Her mouth opened, but her voice trailed behind. "I can't go a day without hearing it, and it's driving me crazy. Because what do you think?" She twisted in her chair, frowning up at Chloe. "Do I look okay? Do I seem okay?"

Chloe's downcast gaze was an answer in and of itself. "No," she replied meekly. "No, you don't."

Sadness tugged at Max's lips. "Just one day I'd like to go without hearing that question, just one day without any shit happening. Just one normal day, like the ones we used to have."

"Yeah…" Chloe stared at their interwoven fingers. "Feels like forever since we last had one of those."

"That's because it has…"

Chloe took a breath, inhaling and exhaling through her nose. "I know tomorrow won't be such a day either…" Her shoulders slumped at the thought. "But Friday? That memorial service? You know we don't have to go, right?"

"And then what?" Max stood up, shuffling past Chloe to continue packing her bag. "That's not going to make it go away. I tried that already. You just saw how well that worked…"

"Maybe not. But let me ask you differently." Chloe followed her and sat down on the edge of the bed. She did not take her eyes off Max. "Do you want to go?"

"No," Max stated without a second thought. Even she was surprised at the swiftness of her answer.

"Then don't," Chloe replied. "Because what's the point? We both know what's gonna happen…"

"I wish it were that easy." She shook her head, lowering it in resignation. "Some of those people were my classmates. What if I'm the only who's not going? People will notice…"

"Look… If you really feel like you have to go, then I'll go with you. No questions asked." She took Max's hand, giving her a little tug. It was wordless way of asking her to sit down, and Max understood. "But please think about it. There is no shame in not going. You won't be the only one who's not there." She cupped Max's face, giving her an imploring look. "I just… I just want to see you happy, to see you smile. And I know you won't be happy if you go."

"I won't be happy either way..." Max muttered.

"Please, don't say that." Chloe drew her close, draping an arm over her shoulder. She nuzzled Max's temple, her lips lingering as she kissed her. There was no reaction. Her affections, her attempt at lifting the unease that gripped both of them, were lost on a pensive Max, and so she breathed a dejected sigh. "Just think about it, okay?" she pleaded. "Please."

Max was indeed lost in thought, having momentarily retreated back into her head. "You don't want to go either, don't you?" she asked, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

"No, of course not. But it's not about me. I'm not the one who's being asked to go."

Once again, Max did not hesitate to answer. "Then we don't go."

Chloe's eyebrows shot up, in what was equal parts surprise and confusion. "What? Really?"

" _Yes_. I don't want to make you do something you don't want to do. You do enough for me already, every day. I won't drag you into this." Max squirmed out of Chloe's embrace, but not before flashing her a hint of a smile. "I like to see you happy too, you know?"

Chloe's phone buzzed in her pocket. She broke into a small grin, giving Max a nudge with her elbow. Her relief was obvious to see.

"What?"

"Nothing, you're just perfect." A radiant glow filled her eyes, her expression turning soft and warm. "I just love you so much. I still can't fuckin' believe I get to have you as my girlfriend. I must finally be the luckiest girl on earth."

A minuscule laugh sounded through the room. Max's initial shock was wearing off, but it was still but a fleeting moment of levity. "Yeah… I guess that makes two of us," she said, watching another smile flicker across Chloe's face as she checked her phone. "What is it?"

"Mom's gone to visit a friend of hers," Chloe explained, slipping her phone back into her pocket. "You know what that means?"

"I'm sure you are about to tell me."

"It means that we have the house to ourselves." She jumped up, bouncing from foot to foot as she grabbed Max's bag. Under the critical gaze of her girlfriend she began to cram it full with the remaining clothes, not bothering to fold them. "It also means we can watch movies downstairs. On the big TV."

"We haven't done that in a long time." For a few seconds Max found shelter in the memory of days gone by. "We might not have a normal day," she said, "but at least we can try and have a normal afternoon."

"Exactly." Chloe took her hand, and pulled her to her feet. She was eager to leave. "So let's grab the rest of your stuff, and get outta here."

  


#### * * *

  


Dimness submerged the living room as Chloe drew the curtains shut. "So," she said, pulling and yanking on the yellow cloth to keep even the faintest sliver of light from entering the room. "What do you wanna watch?"

Max answered with a lukewarm shrug. She was already seated, curled up on the couch. Over the past couple hours her eyelids had grown even heavier, and it began to show. "I don't really care," she added. In fact, there was something else on her mind, and she decided to let her thoughts be known. "You're sure no one will be home, right?"

"God Max… Don't worry," Chloe assured her. "We'll have until evening until anyone comes back."

"Okay. I just don't want your mom or David to find us like... here."

"Yeah, me neither. So don't worry. I checked." Chloe bounced over to the TV, planting herself in front of it, and in Max's field of vision. "So. Movie?" she asked once more, crossing her arms.

"I told you I'm fine either way," Max said, covering her mouth as she yawned. "As long as it's not Blade Runner…"

Chloe's head jerked back in apparent confusion. "You don't like it?"

"No. Not… anymore." Even as she spoke she realized her attempt at deflection proved less than successful. Her face grew taut with a grimace. "I… I watched it recently. With you, actually." Chloe neared the couch, footsteps scuffling through the carpeted floor. "In that other reality," Max continued as Chloe sunk down onto the couch.

"The one you told me about the night of the party? The one where I asked-"

"Don't say it. Please," Max interrupted her with a forceful tone. She apologized straight away, offering Chloe a pained smile. "It's just not something I like to remember."

"No, I get it, my bad. We don't need to talk about it." She rubbed Max's thigh. "How about this. You choose a movie. I'm sure you have something on your laptop. And in the meantime, I'll get us some snacks, something to drink and all that stuff."

Max perked up just a little. "I hope we both still have the same taste in movies."

"We'll watch one of yours, then we'll watch one my mine." Chloe grinned at the prospect. "How's that sound?"

"Deal."

Chloe scooted forward, and was about to slide off the couch, when she felt and heard Max shifting behind her. The cushions sank and rose with her movement. A tight grip on her arm followed, directing her attention back to her girlfriend. "What-" Before she had even the slightest chance of finishing her sentence, Max had crashed her lips onto Chloe's. While at first surprised at the sudden outburst of affection, Chloe soon eased into the kiss, her hands venturing along Max's waist to draw her close. They kissed in unexpected passion, and she felt the sensation of Max's warm hands trailing up and down her back. Flickers of warmth spread in her body like a wildfire, and it was not until they both had to gasp for breath, that they pulled apart.

Eyes fluttered back open, shades of blue gazing at each other. Incredulity filled Chloe as she stared at Max, but at the same time she had to refrain herself from diving back in. Instead, she decided to sate her curiosity. "Not that I'm complaining…" she said, "but what was that for?" Her look was one of yearning, and her tongue flicked across her lips.

"It's because I love you," Max said. The answer was simple, yet unforeseen. "I know I've been difficult today, and I'll be honest… I realized earlier that there's probably going to be more of those days. But even if I seem cold, or distant, I want you to know that it's not because of you." She reached out to Chloe, and fingertips stroked her cheek. Her skin was soft and smooth to the touch. " _Never_ because of you."

Chloe leaned into Max's palm, closing her eyes and taking a savoring breath as she did. "I'm glad you're here, you know. I… really don't want to be alone right now."

"Me neither," Max admitted, reciprocating the glimpse of vulnerability. "I know you're trying to push tomorrow away, and I know I haven't made things any easier for you. And I'm sorry for that. But I'm here for you, even if it may not seem like it."

"Come on Max, I know that." Chloe leaned in close, and with a smile she drew Max into another kiss. It was sweeter, gentler than the previous one, but not any less welcome. It was her way of showing Max how she felt. Their foreheads touched, even as their lips parted for the second time. "One normal afternoon," Chloe repeated their earlier words, whispering to Max's ears. "The world can do without us for one day."

Max snuggled into Chloe's arms. "I think it has to."

  


#### * * *

  


"I'm gonna cuddle the fuck out of you Caulfield," Chloe announced. The pantry had proven bountiful, and she returned with a small, but diverse assortment of snacks and drinks, all stacked on top of a multicolored, and fuzzy woolen blanket.

"You make it sound so romantic," Max replied absentmindedly. Her tone dripped with sarcasm. Her laptop sat on the coffee table and she was in the midst of browsing and navigating through various folders. The search for a movie had yet to be successful, but she was slowly honing in on one of her favorites, hopeful that Chloe would enjoy it as well.

"Yeah, I've been told I have a way with words." Chloe deposited everything on the table, mindful to step over the cable connecting the laptop with the TV. "So, did you find anything?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, but I think-" Max flinched back as Chloe began to shake out the blanket, causing a plume of dust to saturate the air. "Hey…" she said, a smile appearing on her face as she recognized the blanket's design. "We used to build pillow forts with that blanket."

Chloe gave it a final shake and flung it over the couch. "Yep. Thought it was fitting to dig it out."

"I always liked it. It's cozy."

"Hella cozy you mean."

"And hella dusty." Max waved her hand in front of her face.

"Yeah, I found it on the attic." Chloe plopped down as well, not wasting a second to wrap her arms around Max. "Now tell me about this movie we're watching," she said, her voice muffled as snuggled into the crook of Max's neck.

"It's called _Amélie_ ," Max explained. Her knees trembled as Chloe kissed the nape of her neck, a pleasurable fuzziness filling her heart. "It's cute, but I only have it in French. With subtitles though… I hope you don't mind."

Chloe laughed, her breath grazing against Max's skin. "That's _so_ you."

"You know it?"

"No, I meant the French thing." She brought her lips to Max's ears. "You're such a nerd," she whispered.

"Oh screw you. You're the queen of nerds." Max giggled. It was her first real laugh in hours, and it was music to both pairs of ears. "Also, it's one of my favorites, and it always makes me smile. I thought that maybe it can do the same for you as well."

"If you love it then I love it as well."

"I don't think that's quite how it works."

"It is today." Chloe's arms snaked around Max's midriff, brushing against the fabric of her shirt. "Now come here," she said, gently encouraging her to recline.

Despite, or maybe because of the less than stellar day, Max did not need to be asked twice. She snuggled up to Chloe, and legs tangled together as she fluffed up a pillow. As soon as she had lain down, Chloe pulled the blanket over their bodies, letting it engulf them almost completely.

It was a position they had found themselves in many times before, but it always provided a sense of safety and protection. Maybe it was the heat of Chloe's body pressed up against her back, the scent of her hair, or the way she clasped her waist, but it was the first time this day that Max felt her tension go away for good, and the same rang true for Chloe.

"You ready?" Max asked. Upon hearing Chloe's muffled approval she reached over to her laptop, tapping the button to let the movie start.

For a while they watched in silence, entranced by the pictures, yet concentrated on the subtitles. Nevertheless, they both managed, every so often, to display their affection for one another. Sometimes it was tender kisses or caresses, other times a simple _I love you_. Most of the time though, there was no need to say or do anything. The normal afternoon they had both longed for had arrived at last, and they were both intent on discouraging anything from getting in the way of their happiness. Both simply savored the minutes and hours, content in each other's embrace.

It was not until they neared the half-way point of the movie that their silence ended. Max shifted lightly, resting her head on Chloe's arm. "Someday I'd love to go to Paris with you," she said softly, inspired by the images on screen. "Just us, staying as long as we want."

Chloe snickered. "You'd probably drag me to all the museums, wouldn't you?"

"Of course. It would be such a shame not to. Imagine all the pictures we could take."

For a moment Chloe's eyes left the TV. "Us on the Eiffel Tower," she said, brushing a hand through Max's locks. "That would be an awesome photo."

Max smiled. "You'd have to get me up there first. I don't think I'm very good with heights."

"I'd keep you safe," Chloe whispered. She gave Max a squeeze, as if to reassure her. "You'd do the same for me."

"Always." Max closed her eyes. "We'll have to do that sometime. Paris, I mean."

"Definitely."

They fell quiet again, and after what seemed like a short while, the movie came to its end. As the credits rolled, Chloe poked Max, eager to share her thoughts. "I liked this," she said. "Was kinda confused at first but I liked it. And it _did_ make me smile." She waited for a response, but it never came. "Max?" She craned her neck, peering over Max's shoulder to get a better look, and she could not help but smile as she saw that the girl had fallen asleep. She was not sure when it happened, but at this point of time she did not care either. Lightness filled her limbs, happy that Max had found some rest.

Careful not to disturb her, Chloe slipped out from under the blanket. She climbed off the couch, and turned off the TV, doing the same with Max's laptop. They had barely touched their snacks and drinks, but she nonetheless opted to clean up. As she tiptoed around the room, bottles and bags of crisps in hand, she could hear Max mutter in her sleep, and once again a smile crossed her face.

Having finished, she returned to the couch, crouching down in front of it. Max's chest rose and fell with steady breaths, and in her sleep, she was clutching the blanket to herself. Chloe eyed her lovingly, threading a hand through her hair. "Come on," she said, hooking one arm under Max's knees, and slinging the other around her shoulders. With a groan she stood up, lifting Max off the couch. She smirked in surprise at how light she was. "Let's get you upstairs."

Even as she climbed the stairs to her room, Max did not budge. Her head only rolled over to rest on Chloe's shoulder, and in return it only caused Chloe to hold her tighter. Watchful not to jostle her, Chloe pushed up the final steps, bumping the door open with her hips once she had arrived.

The remaining feet to the bed were taken with a brisk pace. She lowered Max down onto the bed, and for a moment she considered tucking her in, not unlike one would do with a child, but she decided against it. Instead, she propped her head up with a pillow, before lying down herself. "I love you so much," she whispered, nestling her head into Max's chest and closing her eyes as well. "I don't know what I'd do without you."


	15. Fare Thee Well, Rachel Amber

For many days, a misty veil of fog and clouds had hung over Arcadia Bay. At times it was accompanied by a near constant drizzle, other times simply whipped across the skies by heavy winds. The sun’s return marked the beginning of a new day, but on this morning the world seemed a little duller nonetheless. Chloe’s room seemed a little less bright, the colors a little less vibrant, and even the air seemed a little colder. 

It was the day of Rachel’s funeral.

Chloe stood in front of her dresser, hunched over, and inspecting herself in the small mirror she kept on top of it. “I fucking hate this get-up,” she said, “I hate everything about it.” The scowl on her face was matched by the scorn in her voice.

“I think you look beautiful,” Max replied. She sat on the bed, legs crossed, with her hands folded in her lap. Her fingers were curled around the handle of a brush. “Now, would you please come and sit down?”

Chloe scoffed. “I don’t give a crap about looking beautiful. This isn’t me.” The answer earned her a stern look from Max, and with it her posture sagged. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I just don’t know how I let mom talk me into wearing this.” 

It was indeed a decidedly less punk version of Chloe which had emerged earlier, but in Max’s eyes she was no less alluring. She was wearing a simple black dress, borrowed from her mother after a rather lengthy discussion. It reached down to her knees, while still allowing more than a glimpse of her tattoo, and along with it, a pair of black flats adorned her feet. The lack of beanie highlighted her blue hair, and in a last act of resistance she had insisted on keeping her necklace, the bullets clinging to her chest. All in all it was a simple look, topped off by subtle hints of makeup.

With obvious reluctance Chloe sat down, joining Max on the bed. “It’s only for a few hours. You’ll be back in your tank top and jeans in no time,” Max said as she began brushing Chloe’s hair. It was an attempt to bring a semblance of order to her tousled locks. “And I still think you look pretty.”

A shadow of a smile pulled on Chloe’s lips. “You look pretty cute too.” She threw a glance over her shoulder, her eyes mustering Max. “I just can’t believe you still fit into that dress. It’s been five years.”

Max chuckled lightly. “It’s a bit tight, I admit, but it’ll do. It’s not like I packed for something like this when I moved back here.”

“I can believe that…” Chloe said as she closed her eyes, concentrating on the sensation of the brush moving through her hair. A deep, savoring breath escaped her, and she scooted a little closer to Max. “This feels really nice actually. Reminds me of when we played dress-up as kids.”

“I told you so.” Max kissed the nape of her neck, feeling Chloe shudder ever so lightly. “You’re going to look even better.”

“Yeah? Because right now you making me feel like some kind of princess.”

“And what does that make me?” Max laughed, setting the brush aside. “You’re the one who carried me to bed yesterday.”

Chloe twisted and turned, giving Max a lop-sided grin. “Are you complaining?”

“No.” Max smiled. She was pleased to see her at ease, at least for a few fleeting moments, and despite the circumstances closing in on them. “It was incredibly sweet of you,” she said, tucking a strand of Chloe’s hair behind her ear. Her fingers skimmed along her cheek as she did. “I wish I could do something that sweet for you.”

“You’re doing that every day Max.” Chloe brought Max’s hand to her lips, gingerly placing kisses on her knuckles one at a time. “You’re kinda my Prince Charming. _Princess_ Charming. Saving me from the evil world.”

Max’s heart was all but bursting with love. “I guess that goes for the both-”

“Chloe?” David called from downstairs, interrupting Max and at once shattering their peaceful bubble. “We need to get going. You two better hurry up.”

Chloe snapped back, and out of instinct she let go of Max’s hand. Her earlier mood returned at a moment’s notice. “Geeze, fucking hell, we know!” she yelled. “Just… just give us a damn minute. Please…”

Max ventured a look at her phone, only taking her eyes off Chloe for the briefest of instants. “I hate to say it, but… I think he’s right. We’ve stalled enough already.” She spoke in a soothing tone, gently stroking Chloe’s forearm. “We need to go.”

“I know…” Chloe seemed to shrink in on herself as she cradled her arms close to her body, wearing hurt and resignation on her face. “I feel like such an asshole saying it… But right now I wish… I wish the coroner had never released her.”

“Come on buttercup,” Max said softly. She slid off the bed, and crouched down in front of Chloe. “I know you want to say goodbye. Rachel will be happy to see you.”

Chloe’s breathing hitched in a faint laugh. “Buttercup?”

Max shrugged. “I wanted to try it out. I feel like it suits you.” With a smile, and consummate tenderness she laced their fingers together, giving Chloe a comforting and long-lasting squeeze. “You are the strongest, toughest, most amazing person I know,” she said, the warmth of her words equaling the warmth of her touch. “You can do this, you’ll be fine. I’ll be there with you and I won’t leave your side unless you want me to. Today is all about you. I might not be able to carry you to bed, but I’ll carry you through this day. Like you did for me the entire week. Okay?”

Chloe swallowed hard. “Okay.”

“Good. Now come on.” Max stood up, pulling a still reluctant Chloe with her. As they came to a standing position, she ignored David’s renewed appeal, and instead she enveloped Chloe in a tight hug, letting the taller girl nestle into her. They held her each other close, and when David called for a third time, Max whispered in Chloe’s ear. “Are you ready?”

Chloe nodded, but nevertheless she tarried in Max’s slender arms, and it was only after a long series of seconds that she moved away. It was with glistening eyes that she placed a long peck on Max’s cheek, before giving her another nod. Max understood, and so they began to make their way downstairs, hands and fingers intertwined, intent on never leaving each other.

Joyce and David were already waiting, the former pacing up and down the hallway, heels clacking with each step, while the latter stood at the door, his hand already firmly planted on the handle. Joyce was dressed in black, her attire not unlike Chloe’s in its make. The sole difference was a black hat covering her head. David for his part seemed to have squeezed into an old suit, which at some point in its life may have fit him quite well, but was now looking at least a size too small. They both glanced up as Max and Chloe came down the stairs, with Joyce hurrying toward her daughter.

“There you are…” David grumbled. His neatly trimmed mustache quivered as he surveyed the girls, and for a moment Max could have sworn that his stare lingered on their interwoven fingers. She did not give it any heed however, and her focus remained on Chloe’s wellbeing. In fact, over the past days Max and David had barely interacted. She was confident he did not approve of her prolonged stay, merely tolerating it at Joyce’s behest, and so she had gone out of her way to keep her distance.

Without warning, Chloe’s mother flung herself at her daughter, slinging her uninjured arm over her shoulder. “We’re all here for you honey, okay? You understand that right?” she said, herself visibly struggling to keep her composure.

“Mom… Please…” Chloe offered no resistance, looking as dejected as she sounded.

“I’m sorry sweetheart.” Joyce broke away and cupped Chloe’s face. “You shouldn’t have to through this again. It pains me to see you hurting, but we’re all here, and we all love you.”

“I know mom... Let’s… Let’s not make too big of a deal out of this, okay? Please? Max is with me, I’ll be fine.”

“All right, I understand.” Joyce smiled weakly at both of them, and in a sign of gratitude she nodded at Max. 

David cleared his throat. “You two can drive with us if you’d like.”

“No. I’ll drive with Max,” Chloe replied. “No offense.”

“Are you sure?” Joyce asked.

“Yes. Don’t worry mom, it’s not that far. We’ll be okay.” Glancing at Max, she sought to reconnect their hands, longing for Max’s touch, the comfort and feeling of safety it provided. Neither of them minded that their physical closeness was on full display. “Also,” she continued, “we might stay a bit longer. I don’t know when we’ll be back, so don’t stress, okay?”

“All right.” Joyce did not appear fully convinced, but all the same it was clear she did not desire to argue. Instead, she brought her attention to Max. “You keep an eye on her,” she said, shooting her a serious, yet friendly look, the kind only a mother could give.

“I’ll keep her safe,” Max replied, her grip on Chloe’s hand tightening. “Always.”

  


#### * * *

  


The church was a quaint little building, tucked away in the northern outskirts of Arcadia Bay, on the edge of the town’s dense woods. Almost adjacent to it lay the local cemetery, located only a short walk away. The church had fared well in the storm, but even so it carried constant reminders of what had transpired. Its white wooden walls were covered with countless smears of dirt and grime, the roof lacked a considerable fraction of its shingles, and of surrounding trees nothing but stumps remained. It was a busy area, dozens of people forming a stream of black color, writhing and moving as it trickled into the building. 

Max and Chloe had yet to join them. They were sat in the truck, huddled together, and parked a safe distance away, across the road. Chloe was smoking, her second cigarette in mere minutes, while Max was studying the crowd. Most faces were unfamiliar, but among the drove of people were a handful she recognized. Dana and Juliet were sitting on the brick wall bordering the premises, while a few dozen feet away, and much to Max’s surprise, Victoria and her clique were in attendance. There were others, Justin, Trevor and Zachary, but in spite of her relief to see them alive and well, she had no desire to go see or talk to any of them.

Flicking some ash to the ground, Chloe blew a large plume of smoke out of the window. She watched as the wisps curled up into the sky. “Look at them,” she said after taking another desperate drag, “It’s all fake. Rachel would have hated this.”

“Why?” Max asked, shifting in her seat. “What do you mean?”

Chloe exhaled again. “Most of these people never knew the real Rachel,” she explained, “only the role she felt she had to play around them.” She gestured toward Victoria, who was now making her way inside the church. “Take little miss Chase there,” she continued. “She and Rachel loathed each other. Never said it, but it was like an open secret. Everybody knew. And yet here she is, prancing around like the little skank she is.”

“Hmm… Makes sense.” Max mused. For a brief moment she considered telling Chloe about the defaced posters in Victoria’s room, but ultimately decided against it, neither wanting to further sour her mood, nor to burden her with such knowledge. “Maybe… she grew a conscience,” she said in its stead, struggling to sound convinced.

“ _Sure_. It’s not like she didn’t almost run you over yesterday.”

“Yeah...” Max had to admit, “fair point.”

“She’s an insecure bitch, Max. That’s all there is. No point in defending her.” She took a last drag of her cigarette, and threw the stub into a mucky puddle in the street below. “Anyway… This is not what Rachel would have wanted. Right down to being buried here, of all places.”

Max ‘s hand had found Chloe’s knee, her thumb moving back and forth over her skin. “She wanted to leave, right? L.A., wasn’t it?”

Sadness clouded Chloe’s features. “Become a model. Live in the big city and never return. That was her dream. Now… Now she has to…” The words lodged themselves in her throat like an immovable boulder. She winced at the thought, and drew herself close to Max, resting her head on her shoulder. “She has to stay here. Forever…”

“You don’t know that,” Max replied softly. Ignoring the stench of cigarette smoke, she kissed the top of Chloe’s head, her nose burrowing into hues of blue and pink. “Maybe she’s free now, seeing the world. Wouldn’t be the weirdest thing to happen these past weeks.” She gave Chloe another kiss, eyes trained on the court in front of the church. It was clearing out little by little, but rather than pressuring Chloe, she preferred to follow her lead, and only intervene if needed.

“I’d like to believe that…” Chloe said. With a half-hearted nod she motioned in the direction of a couple, a man and a woman, both middle-aged, and seemingly engaged in heated debate. “It’s all their fault.”

While not acquainted with the people in question, Max could infer who they were regardless. “Her parents?” she asked, frowning in confusion.

“Yeah, kind of. Few years back, he used to be the DA around here. He’s a scumbag.” Her tone straddled a fine line between anger and sadness, dipping ever so slightly into the former. “And she? She’s not even Rachel’s real mother. Just the woman who went along with his sick scheme and lied to her for most of her life.” She cast a glance at the church. “Bet he tried to keep her real mother from coming too.”

“That’s horrible,” Max said, mouth agape and with a rising vocal pitch. “Why would he keep her mother away? It’s her funeral…”

“Like I said, he’s a scumbag.” Chloe began to roll up the driver side window, but stopped half-way, and with a heavy sigh she let herself fall back into her seat. “You know what the sad thing is? Rachel actually never got to meet her real mom. She knew about her, she wanted to meet her, hell we searched for her, but it never happened. And even worse is that… that I met her. Only briefly, but more than Rachel did her entire life… And I failed to convince her to go meet her daughter…”

“Hey…” Max patted Chloe’s leg. “It’s not your fault. I know you, I’m sure you did everything you could.”

Chloe cracked a feeble smile. “I know. Took me a while to get that, but I did eventually.” Again she nodded toward Rachel's father. “It’s all on him... The day I told Rachel, was the day he pretty much lost his daughter. And he hates me for that. But he’s only got himself to blame.” As she spoke, Rachel’s father broke away, making his way into the church, and leaving the woman on her own. After waiting for a few seconds she followed him, and they both disappeared inside. “I honestly think he’s part of the reason why we’re here today,” Chloe continued, her voice shaking more and more. “I… I can’t say that she was never the same after, I didn’t really know her before that, but I’m pretty sure. There was always something missing in her life, and he… he could have helped her. If he had just swallowed his damn pride… He could have saved her.”

Max was giving Chloe her undivided attention, but was uncertain how to respond. “I don’t know what to say Chloe,” she said, opting to tell the truth, rather than some form of empty platitude. “I’m so sorry you two had to go through all that.”

“No, it’s okay,” Chloe assured her, though her sadness was unmistakable. It blurred her features, her words, even her motions were sluggish. “I know I haven’t really told you a lot about her these past couple of weeks, but I will. This is part of who she was, and barely anyone knows this.” Her gaze dropped to the floor, and she breathed another sigh. “Or even cares...”

“I care.” Max slid her hand under Chloe’s chin, encouraging their gazes to meet. Chloe’s eyes were wet, a slight reddish tint betraying her struggle. “She was there for you, she saved you when I didn’t. I’ll always owe her for that, and I wish I could have met her. So it means a lot to me that you share this. I know it can’t be easy.”

“You deserve it. You did more for her than most of them ever did,” Chloe replied. She clasped Max’s hand between both of her own. “I know I never thanked you… but it means _everything_ to me that you helped me find her. I was in a bad place, and I couldn’t have done it alone, and without you I may never have had the chance to say goodbye. Without… Without you she may never had gotten justice, or a chance to… to…” She sniffed and clenched her eyes shut, trying to face away from Max. She was however stopped, and simply pulled close by her girlfriend. “Fuck…” she whispered, heaving a sob into Max’s shoulder. “I don’t think I’m ready for this.”

The funeral was indeed fast approaching. People outside the church were gone, and it seemed as if Max and Chloe were the last ones to linger. Nevertheless, Max wanted to give Chloe the time she needed. “We can wait a bit longer,” she said, while rubbing Chloe’s back. “We still have a few minutes.”

“No.” Another sob sprang from Chloe’s chest, and she tore herself out of Max’s embrace. A lonely tear ran down her face, smudging her makeup, but she was quick to wipe it away. “I can’t put it off any longer. It hurts, but it’s time.”

Max nodded. “Okay. You’ll be fine. You’re strong,” she reiterated. “You can do this.”

“Only because you’re with me. I couldn’t, not without you.” Chloe linked their hands back together, her larger one engulfing Max’s in a firm but gentle grip. With a deep breath she pushed the driver side door open, plunging them back into the world. A pleasant breeze, and warm sunshine welcomed them. The weather vane on top of the church’s tower spun in the wind, and somewhere in the woods a flock of birds rose into the sky. For a split-second Chloe’s lips curved into a smile. “Shall we?”

  


#### * * *

  


The church was all but bursting at the seams. Rows upon rows of polished wooden pews were filled to the brim with people. It was a sea of black, resting in solemn stillness. Only the faintest of murmurs flowed through the air, echoing back and forth between the walls. Glowing rays of sun dipped through stained glass windows, and colorful lights tumbled over the attendees, granting the somber blacks of their attires the occasional splotch of life.

Max and Chloe had barely stepped over the threshold, when a hand in the back third of the room shot up. It vied for their attention, and received it straight away. It belonged to Joyce, who, seated next to an uncomfortable looking David, was waving them over, all while motioning at two empty spots next to her. Not wasting any more time, Chloe began to weave through the people, with Max trailing close behind. Both girls sensed the judgmental presence of many pairs of eyes, and so they were thankful the journey was a short one. Chloe sat down next to her mother, while Max squeezed into the remaining spot, easing herself down next to an older man, who was already taking up more than his fair share of space.

As soon as they were seated, Chloe was drawn into a conversation by her mother. They exchanged hushed whispers, with Joyce inquiring as to their whereabouts. Max for her part could not help but feel isolated and out of place, despite being in the presence of what had become her surrogate family. Her eyes darted around the room in search of more familiar faces, but from her vantage point it proved impossible to pick out specific people from among the crowd.

Not before long, a man dressed in priest’s garments stepped up to the pulpit. It was surrounded by countless bouquets of white lilies, their smell reaching even the farthest of seats. The priest was lanky and balding, with small round glasses perched precariously on his oversized nose. As he adjusted his microphone, a sudden and absolute silence draped itself over the church, and with it, the service began.

For Max, the following minutes were but a blur.

The priest offered prayers and blessings, but it all seemed stale and trite, too recited and too rehearsed to feel genuine. She did not envy him, and part of her could not help but wonder how many times he had gone through this very routine over the course of the past few days. As he droned on, his voice faded away, becoming indiscernible, and nothing but white noise. Max managed to push away her dark thoughts, and her focus settled solely on Chloe.

The girl was visibly anxious. Her legs bounced up and down at a hectic pace, the movement sending vibrations through the pew, and earning her more than just a few sharp looks. Every now and then she tugged on her dress, shifting and squirming in vain. Her hand had yet to let go of Max’s, and she was holding on for dear life, her grip bordering on painful.

Much to Max’s dismay, she had no choice but to wait until the end of the service. It pained her to see Chloe suffer, but apart from trading reassuring whispers, or comforting squeezes, there was nothing she could do.

Eventually, the priest stepped away, and Rachel’s father took his place. As he did, Max felt Chloe’s grip tighten even further, but she did not object. They shot each other knowing looks, and Chloe sat up straight, glaring at the man she considered partially responsible for Rachel’s fate.

However, both soon noticed not only the picture he was clutching in his trembling hands, but also the deep, dark circles under his eyes. With an unsteady voice he began to recite a eulogy, and as he highlighted Rachel’s accomplishments, her love of all things theater and acting, her playful nature and her academic prowess, it became all too clear that at the end of the day, he was still a grieving father, who despite his many mistakes, clearly missed and longed for his daughter.

The more he spoke, the more he emphasized Rachel’s virtues, the more Chloe slouched backward. Her shoulders curled over her chest, and her entire posture crumbled. She muttered a quiet _Fuck_ , the realization that she was not alone in her grief sinking in for good, and for the first time that day, she opened her heart to her sadness, allowing the tears to course down her face.

  


#### * * *

  


Rachel’s funeral service concluded without major incidents, though not without further tears. A small amount of people lingered in front of the church, engaging in restrained conversation, while a considerable portion of the attendees joined the peaceful procession to Rachel’s final resting place. Max and Chloe were among the file of people winding its way to the cemetery, although at the latter’s request, they chose to keep their distance.

Chloe clung to Max like a lifeline, their arms tangled together like a web. Her eyes were reddened by earlier tears, and as they passed through the wrought iron gate, her pace slowed to a crawl. The gravel covered path to the cemetery lay ahead, and along with it, a daunting effort for the both of them.

The cemetery grounds were covered by a carpet of leaves, with colors ranging from bright yellows, to crimson reds. The gentle autumn sun breathed hints of life into an otherwise cheerless setting. Well-kept headstones flanked the path on either side, littering the still dewy grass. Many graves were adorned with fresh multicolored wreaths and flower arrangements, others with burning candles or meaningful trinkets. A small black-clad cluster of mourners gathered at a fresh site, their low whispers and hushed cries drowned out by chirping birds. They only briefly glanced at the passing procession, offering looks of compassion and understanding, before returning to their grief.

As the site of Rachel’s grave came into view, Chloe froze. She pulled lightly on Max’s arm, urging her to do the same. “Can we uh… can we wait a little? Please,” she said. They were her first words since leaving the church, and nothing but a whisper in the wind. “Until people are gone?”

“Of course we can,” Max replied. Relief settled in her bones, herself glad to cast out the situation at hand, if only for a few fleeting minutes. She glanced around, and laid eyes upon a lonely bench beneath the bough of a crooked old oak. “There,” she said, “We can sit down if you’d like.”

Chloe forced a wavering smile. “Yeah, please. I think I kinda need it.”

“Okay, come on.” They split away from the group, and made their way uphill to the bench. “You’re doing great, you know,” Max said. She kept her hand on Chloe’s arm, stroking it as they walked. “But how are you feeling. Are you okay?”

Chloe shook her head, her answer following a few instants later. “I feel like shit… And not just because of Rachel, or what I said earlier.”

“Do you want to tell me?” Max asked, looking up at her with a smile. “I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

A low chuckle escaped Chloe. “Yes, you are.” They reached the bench, and Chloe wasted no time to sit down. With a doting gaze she watched as Max first chased away a handful of leaves, before smoothing down her dress, and at last joining her. Once Max had settled down, she began to explain. “I… I haven’t been here since dad’s funeral. And I feel like an ass for it.” She closed her eyes, a pained grimace taking control of her face. “I’m ashamed actually. For a year after he died, mom kept asking me if I would like to come with her and visit him, but I never went. I just ignored her or got angry and yelled, and after a while she just… she stopped asking. I didn’t really notice it back then, but I guess… lately I’ve been noticing a lot things.”

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Max assured her. “You just weren’t ready.”

“No, Max. He is my dad, not some random person.” For a brief moment her tone become strong and firm. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “It’s been five years… Five years. Mom still comes a couple times a month, and I still don’t feel ready. And I think I should, because….” She swallowed hard, feeling her eyes well up once again. “Because he’s my dad, and I miss him every day Max. Every day I miss him… And there’s so much I want to tell him, but I’m afraid, and I feel stupid and worthless.”

Chloe’s words were like daggers, each sting bringing her pain to Max’s heart. “You are not stupid, Chloe Price,” Max said, twisting to put her hands on Chloe’s shoulders. “You are not worthless, you are not any of those things.”

“Well, right now it certainly doesn’t feel like it...”

Max frowned and pulled herself closer. While snuggling into the crook of Chloe’s neck, an idea crossed her mind. “Remember when we were young… Whenever we’d break something or do something dumb? You’d always insist and take the blame, even if it meant you’d get punished. Like… Like that one time I broke one of the posts on the banister upstairs. You never hesitated. Or whenever I had a bad day you cheered me up, even if it ruined your own. And just an hour ago you told me about how you searched for Rachel’s mom and how you fought for her, even if people hated you for it. And I’ve seen how much you still care for her and how much you care for William.” She pulled away a little, peering into the glistening blue of Chloe’s eyes. Tears ran down her splotchy cheeks, meeting nevertheless curved up lips. “You’ve never been stupid, you’ve never been worthless. You’ve always been the most amazing, the most selfless person I know. And just because you are in pain, doesn’t mean you should be ashamed, or blaming yourself. _You_ taught me that. _You_ taught me that the day we came back here. And just knowing or recognizing that maybe along the way you did make a few mistakes, or why you did certain things… It means that you are on the right path.”

Chloe’s tears flowed freely and unhindered, soaking into her dress. “Damn Max…” She lunged at her, the following embrace knocking the air out of both of them. “Making me feel stupid for feeling stupid…”

Max hugged her back, lending her more than just a shoulder to cry on. “That’s a stupid I can live with,” she said, a small laugh mingling among her words. “Just don’t ever say that other stuff. You’re so much better than that.”

“I’ll try. I promise I’ll try.” Chloe burrowed her face deeper into the fabric of Max’s dress, muffling her whimpers. “It’s just not that easy sometimes. Some of those feelings have been there for years… Like… Like when I got kicked out of school, or… when I…”

“Shh, it’s okay,” Max hushed. She was battling her own emotions, being witness to the most vulnerable side of Chloe she had ever seen. “We’ll work on it together. Because that’s we do. You help me, I help you. We have each other’s back, it’s what we’ve always done. And whenever you feel ready, then I’ll gladly come with you to visit William, if that’s what you want me to do.”

Chloe nodded, the movement of her head barely noticeable. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of the congregation around Rachel’s grave. Some were showering the casket in flowers, lingering as they did, while others were already in the midst of returning home. “You know what’s weird…” she said, still huddled in Max’s arms. “I’m afraid, but sitting here is actually kinda nice… It’s peaceful and quiet, and somehow I don’t feel alone.” She laughed lightly, and a weak cough escaped her. “Rachel of course would have hated this. Not enough action.”

Max smiled. “Your mom called her a hellraiser.”

“Yeah. She even put me to shame. She never took no for an answer, never let go of an opportunity. Sometimes even I had trouble to keep up.”

“I would have liked to see that.” Max ran her fingers over Chloe’s hair, uncurling a handful of ruffled strands. “I can’t image anyone beating you at your own game.”

Chloe chuckled. “She definitely did… She was great at it.” She shifted a little, and soon fell silent, but after a few more seconds, and with a light groan, she slipped out of Max’s arms. As she looked at her, she wore a careful, almost timid expression. “Hey…” she said, “This got me thinking’, and I uhm… I think I want to go to the junkyard after this. If you don’t mind.”

Max could not hide her surprise. “The junkyard?”

“Yeah… I just… I wanna see it one last time. If I have to say goodbye to Rachel, then I’ll say goodbye to that place as well.” She tugged Max’s hands into her lap. “It would mean a lot to me if you’d come with me. I don’t wanna go alone.”

An icy shiver crept down Max’s spine. She had no desire to return to the birthplace of her worst nightmare, no desire to hear of it ever again, but she yearned to be in Chloe’s presence, and her wish to care for her was greater than her fears. “Of course,” she replied after scraping together enough courage to utter the words. “I promised you I wouldn’t leave your side. And I won’t start now.”

Chloe recognized Max’s unease. “I know I’m asking a lot, but I promise we won’t be long. Just a few minutes okay? We’ll be home in no time.”

“No, no it’s okay. I trust you.” She emphasized her words by putting a trace of pressure on Chloe’s hands. “I want you to take whatever time you need. Okay?”

“Okay.” Chloe threw a few quick glances at their surroundings, before darting in for a dawdling kiss. “Thank you,” she whispered as their lips parted in torturous slowness. “I love you so much. You’re the best.”

“Love you too.” With a smile Max reclined, resting her head on Chloe’s shoulder. A light breeze ruffled her hair, and she relished not only the sensation, but also the moment. “And you’re right,” she added, “sitting here is kind of nice.”

The branches of the old oak creaked and rustled, and every so often slivers of sunlight glinted through its thick canopy. The earthy smell of previous rain was a steady companion, and with each gust of wind it billowed up with renewed vigor. Neither Max, nor Chloe paid any attention to the passage of time, both waiting in patience for Rachel’s grave to clear out. Around them, more and more leaves reached the ground, adding to the ever growing pile beneath their feet.

After a long while, the last flock of people left the site, and with their departure, Chloe stirred. With a long sigh, a weak shake of her head, and under the concerned eyes of Max, she at long last pushed herself up. “W-would you come with me?” she asked, focusing on Max as if the answer could be anything other than _yes_.

Max got up as well, and gently hooked their arms together. She smiled. “I will.”

The walk was short, though laden with slow steps taken under buckling knees. As Rachel’s casket came into view, Chloe stopped, remaining firmly planted at Max’s side. “I’m here,” Max said immediately, and as she spoke Chloe drew her a little closer. “You can do this.”

The casket was beautifully crafted, made out of a dark wood, and with polished silver handles. It was covered in white lilies, the same kind they had seen in the church earlier. A handful of minor personal belongings had been left behind, and Chloe eyed each and every piece before taking the remaining steps.

“Do you want some privacy?” Max asked, sounding careful.

“No,” Chloe replied with hesitation, holding on to Max’s arm as if to keep her from leaving. “Please, stay.”

“All right.” Max’s voice was soft and quiet, even the slightest of whispers would have been louder.

Chloe’s eyes wandered over the casket. She seemed smaller in its presence, her arms and shoulders drawn close to her body, her head lowered. There was no trace of the strong-willed girl, no trace of the hothead Max loved so much, no trace of her sometimes thorny exterior. There was only a girl, hurting and in pain. She gulped, she wanted to speak, but the words failed her before they had even left her mouth. Desperate for guidance she turned to Max. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

Max’s hand found its way to Chloe’s back. “It’s okay,” she said, touching her in a comforting fashion. “Just be yourself. Tell her how you feel, tell her what you would tell me. I’m sure she’s happy to see you either way.”

Chloe nodded weakly. She reached out, and slowly placed a hand on the gleaming wood of Rachel’s casket. Tears were once again sparkling in her eyes. “Hey Rachel… how are you doing?” she said. Her voice was already thick with sorrow. “I uh… I wish I had something clever to say. I wish… I wish I could have helped you… I…” She breathed a deep sigh. “Well, I wish you were still here. I wish we could still sit in that shitty junkyard complaining about our shitty lives. Because there’s so many questions I would want to ask you.”

“Like… why did you lie to me? Why didn’t you just tell me the fucking truth about you and Frank? Why did I have to find out by reading your letters in his crappy RV? You always wanted me to be honest, you always wanted me to tell the truth. And I did. I never lied to you, but I guess… I guess the rules didn’t count for you…” She took a step forward, her entire upper body quaking. “And don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to be angry at you. I don’t want to be angry at the world, I don’t want to be angry at all. Not anymore. I want to be a different person, a better person. But I can’t help but wonder where it all went wrong. And I can’t help but have those thoughts, and I can’t help but _be_ angry... And I’m so sorry for that. But you were my angel, Rachel. You still _are_ my angel. So knowing that I will never get answers… That… that hurts.”

Max listened, and made certain to keep their hands linked, her grip growing tighter with each of Chloe’s words.

“And you know I would have supported you. I know you do.” She glanced at Max. As she did it was clear to see that she was engaged in a losing battle against her tears, though still fighting back valiantly. “Because I’ve been told that’s what I do. I guess I did it when we first ditched school that day, and I did until the day we found you. And sure, maybe I would have never left Arcadia Bay with you, but I wouldn’t have stopped you either. I never would have kept you from following your dreams, Rachel.”

She paused, wiping her face with the sleeve of her dress, still managing to mostly keep her composure. “You remember how much we planned our escape? How many times we said _This is the day_? And how many times we didn’t do it because of some stupid shit? We fucking hated this place, maybe for different reasons but we both did. And you know what the weird thing is? It’s that life got better.” She smiled at Max, warm and genuine, and in response Max nuzzled into the slope of her neck. “For the first time since we met I don’t want to leave anymore. I want to stay here. Because finally… finally there is a reason to stay.”

“And I guess… Well, you once said you wished it never had to end, and now in a way, a sad and crappy way, it doesn’t. We’ll be here together, just you, me, and Max. And we’ll talk, I promise. I might need some time, but I’ll come and visit, and we’ll catch up. I promise we will. Like… like old times...” Her jaw was clenched, her chin trembling. “I’ll miss you,” she said with a mournful moan. “I’ll miss you so much, but we’ll see each other again. This is not goodbye Rachel… This is just… I don’t want this to be goodbye. I’ll see you around, I’ll come and visit, I’ll bring you your stuff… and in the meantime… you rest easy okay? Stay out of trouble and... It’ll be fine, okay… Okay?” Her eyes snapped shut, and her hands withdrew from Rachel’s casket. “It’ll be fine…” She spun around, flinging herself into the welcoming arms of her girlfriend. Her whimpers grew strong and heavy, and her every muscle felt sore. A pain in the back of her throat flared up with each sob. “Everything will be fine…” 

Max did not waste any time consoling her. “It will Chloe,” she said. “Everything will be fine.” She trailed a line of kisses, running it along Chloe’s jaw, up to her cheek, and at last letting her lips linger at her temple. “That was beautiful. I’m so, so proud of you.”

Chloe pulled away, but only just a little. It was enough to rest her forehead against Max’s, enough to be able to lose herself in Max’s eyes. “I couldn’t have done it-”

“No, Chloe,” Max interrupted her, cupping her cheeks and giving her an intense look. She felt the moisture on her skin, the sensation of fresh tears dripping down onto her fingers. “You could have. You’re strong. You just proved that. You proved it the entire day. You never flinched away, you never backed out, even if it was hard. And you opened up so much. And I’m so sorry about all those things you had to go through, but I am so proud of you. I truly am.”

“I… Thank you,” Chloe whispered in between sobs, lightly rubbing her nose against Max’s. “Thank you… for believing in me.”

“Always Chloe. Always.”

Chloe planted a kiss on Max’s forehead, her nose brushing against Max’s hair. “Do you… do you want to say something to her?”

“Yeah.” Max nodded. “There’s something I want to tell her.”

“Okay.” 

Chloe stepped aside, but Max gave her a gentle tug. “Please, stay. It’s only fair,” she said. “I want you to hear what I have to say.” Chloe nodded, and together they stepped up the casket for a second time.

Max cleared her throat. Her chest tightened, and she felt the weight of what Chloe had gone through, yet nevertheless a deep sense of appreciation surged through her body. “Hello Rachel,” she said. “We’ve never met, but maybe you’ve heard of me. I by now almost feel like I know you, Chloe told me so many great things about you already. My name is Max, and I’m the one who wasn’t there when Chloe needed me. But you were. You did what I couldn’t, and I want to thank you for that. Because Chloe is _my_ angel, just like you were hers. Like you are hers. Something bad happened, and every day she is saving me, every day she makes life worth living. And in a way, ultimately I have you to thank for that. Because if you hadn’t been there…” She swallowed hard, and with a shake of her head she banished the thought. “I want to thank you Rachel. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for saving the love of my live. I’ll always owe you, and I’ll never forget what you have done for us. So thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Rachel. I hope you rest easy. I hope that wherever you are now, you can rest easy knowing that you made a difference, and that we will never forget you. Thank you, Rachel. Thank you so much.”

Max stepped away, nodding meekly at a tearful Chloe, who despite everything, and due to Max’s words, wore a vivid smile. She nestled up to her, their bodies pressed close, their limbs linked and tangled together, both longing for comfort and warmth. Around them leaves fell, wisps of wind curled across the grass, and a sea of lilies imbued the air with their scent. For a long time they remained at Rachel’s grave, in silence, but never alone, and as they eventually bid farewell, and departed for the junkyard, neither of them noticed the blonde woman in the white dress, crying in solitude beneath the shade of a crooked old oak.


	16. Another Time, Another Life

Gravel crackled and popped beneath the tires of Chloe’s truck. It crept along a narrow path, weaving past dilapidated wooden fences, and through long-abandoned pastures. A solemn quiet stretched over the landscape, it’s firm grasp even seeping into the car itself. Yet the stillness was neither aching nor agonizing, but rather a necessity. After Rachel’s funeral, and Chloe’s unwilling farewell, it felt like the waning respite ahead of a rising tempest.

In the case of Max however, something else rampaged through her mind. Inch by inch the junkyard approached, and inch by inch her efforts to alleviate the unease gripping her failed. She felt herself drift; the sharp sting of a needle on her neck, the scuffling of footsteps through the grass, the bullet piercing Chloe’s head. 

Her face was void of emotion, her stare fleeting into the distance. At first she did not hear Chloe’s voice pipe up next to her, and it was only once she felt the sensation of fingernails gripping into her shoulder, that she snapped out of her daze. They had come to a halt at the gate, the hollowed-out husk of a car blocking their way.

“Max? Max, are you there?” Chloe asked with urgency, all but shaking her as she did. “Are you okay? Is everything all right?”

Max shook her head, as if to hurl the darkness away. “Yeah… Sorry… I’m here.”

“God Max…” Chloe breathed a sigh of relief, her head hitting the back of the cabin as she slouched backward. “I thought I lost you.”

“No, no… Sorry.” Max offered her a forced smile. “I was just… lost in thought I guess.”

Chloe’s eyebrows furrowed, and she eyed Max with suspicion. Although she had not forgotten about Max’s earlier reaction, and therefore was quick to recognize its source, this kind of behavior had grown all too familiar. Chloe herself continued to struggle, the preceding hours still firmly lodged in her bones. Her apparent peace of mind was but a fragile illusion, and Max’s presence her sole solace.

She rubbed her forehead, and with slow, almost resigned seeming movement, she removed the keys from the ignition. The incessant rumbling of the engine ceased, and unspoken words hung in the air. “If you’d like, we can turn back and go home,” she said after some seconds. “We can do this another time.”

“No, it’s okay.” Max waved her off, but nevertheless Chloe glanced at the junkyard, a worried frown on her face. Scooting a little closer, Max reached out and touched Chloe’s hand, reclaiming her attention. “Hey, I told you I’d come with you, and I mean it. So please, don’t worry about me.”

Chloe stared at Max’s hands, watching as she laced their fingers together. A small smile pulled at her lips. “You keep saying that, but that’s not how it works. I’m always gonna worry about you. And I can tell something happened here. Something… Something bad.”

Max nodded weakly. “Something I can’t seem to forget.”

“Do you-” Chloe cut herself off, momentarily reconsidering what she was about to ask. It was through gritted teeth that she decided to proceed. “Do you mind telling me? Maybe If I know I can help you.”

Max’s mouth opened and closed, her hesitation clear as day. “I…” She swallowed hard, evading Chloe’s eyes. “This is where he killed you. After the party. We didn’t see him… He drugged me and shot you. And I tried to warn you, but I was too slow. And I couldn’t rewind…” Her focus snapped back to Chloe. “I saw you die right in front of me. Right where we found Rachel. Then… Then he kidnapped me.”

The reluctance with which Max spoke, and her refusal to even utter the name of her assailant, was all Chloe needed to hear. “Fuck…” she muttered. “Fuck… I’m sorry.” Without wasting a second thought she jammed her keys into the ignition, while yanking the gearshift into reverse. Tires skidded as the truck lurched backward.

“Hey!” Max exclaimed, startled and rocked by the sudden movement. “What are you doing?”

Chloe stared out the back of the cab as she reversed down the path. “Going home. I’m not gonna make you do this.”

“Chloe, stop! Come on, please.” Max placed her hand on top of Chloe’s, both holding onto the gearshift. “You said you wanted to say goodbye, and honestly I’d rather do it now than come back later. And this way we can do it together. It’s… It’s not like he can hurt us now, right?”

Chloe’s reaction was not immediate. Only after a short series of seconds her foot eased off the accelerator. Once more the truck came to a slow halt. “Are you sure?” she said, her voice filled with every trace of concern she could gather. “You _don’t have_ do this. I can come alone later.”

“No.” Max’s reply was stern and determined. “You’re not going alone. Being back here… It can’t be easy for you either. And I’ll be fine… As long as you are with me.” She smiled, tentatively letting go of the gearshift. “You help me, I help you. Remember?”

For a second time, Chloe removed the keys from the ignition, and for a second time she applied the parking brake. Briefly her eyes strayed over the barren pastures, before settling back on Max. “It’s what we do, I remember. I just… Look, I trust you, okay? But I hope you don’t push yourself because of me.”

Max voiced her disagreement. “That’s also not how it works, Chloe.”

“Well, I think it should…” Chloe chewed on her lip, but whether it was out of nervousness or uncertainty, neither could tell. “Anyway... I’m ready if you are. I actually just wanna have one last look at the old hideout where Rachel and I used to hang out, and then we’ll go back home, okay?”

“Okay.” Max pushed open the truck’s passenger door, flashing Chloe another smile. “I’m ready. I’m with you.”

Chloe nodded, and together they climbed out of the truck. The rough gravel covering the path was uncomfortable under their thin-soled shoes, but the walk back to the gate was short. “It feels so weird to be back here,” Chloe said as they approached the derelict car blocking the way. “Like the entire place has changed. I actually used to look forward to coming here, but now it’s… It’s all wrong.” With a groan she scaled over the hood of the car, extending her hand toward a hesitant Max once she had reached the other side. “Come on, I’ll help you.”

“Thanks.” Max took Chloe’s hand, accepting her help and letting herself be pulled up. “We are so not dressed for this place.”

Chloe chuckled lightly. “True. Didn’t really think that through.” Next to her, Max landed hard on her feet, kicking up a thin cloud of dust. “It’s a fucking mess. Storm must’ve come right through here,” she continued. “I just hope the hideout is still standing.”

“Me too. Would be a shame if it were gone,” Max replied as she dusted off her dress. As she did, her focus shifted to her surroundings, and what was left of the junkyard. Rusted metal and weathered paint were still the prominent sights, but what little semblance of order used to reign among the scrap and debris, had been overthrown by the storm. Even now, each gust of wind, no matter how minor, caused metal to scrape against metal, and the creaking sounds of broken cars, hollow barrels, and weathered wood, were constant companions. 

“Yeah… But even so it’s not the same anymore.” Chloe had yet to let go of Max’s hand, clutching it tight and close to her body. A shallow sigh escaped her. “You know, I used to spend so much time here. For a while this place… this junkyard… was more home than home.”

Max’s gaze was glued to the ground as she walked with Chloe, mindful of where to step. “I mean I believe you…” she said, giving her the briefest of frowns. “But, was it really that bad?”

They rounded a corner, and the old wooden boat came into view, toppled over, and broken by the storm. Beyond it, the shack remained, seemingly untouched by the surrounding chaos. Sadness flickered across Chloe’s face as took in the sight. “I know it sounds crazy and stupid, but it’s the truth. For a while that’s how I felt... I didn’t know any better.”

“I… I’m sorry Chloe.”

“It’s okay. I wasn’t alone.” Chloe gave her a flat smile, but soon yielded to an ocean of melancholy, losing herself in thought, in the memories of another time. “Rachel and I, we… we discovered this junkyard pretty much the day we found each other. It had a rocky start, but after that we made it ours. We spent every free minute here just to get away from it all. This is where we made plans, where we dreamed about our lives away from Arcadia Bay. And even when things got shitty, it was the one place that never changed, where no one would tell us what to do or think. But now… I can’t believe I hung out here for months while she was…”

Max stopped dead in her tracks, her sudden lack of movement causing Chloe to do the same. “You couldn’t have known,” she said firmly. “Not even the police did… You did everything you could.”

“I know that Max. It just… It doesn’t make it any better.” She looked at her old hideout. “For all the good memories I made here it just took the one to ruin them all…” 

“Hey… Come on.” For a moment, Max tightened her grasp on Chloe’s hand. “You’ll still always have the good memories. No one can take those away.”

“Maybe… Right now it certainly doesn’t seem that way.” Tinged by sadness, it seemed as if the weight of Chloe’s shadow was enough to drag her down. Still, she resumed walking, with Max immediately trailing close behind. Careful not to tear up their dresses, they squeezed past the remains of the broken boat, avoiding splintered wood, and loose nails. The last steps toward the little brick building were taken with slow and heavy steps, with Max matching Chloe’s pace. The hideout’s walls had indeed been spared by the storm, though what little roofing used to protect the inside from the elements was missing, carried away by violent gales.

“Take all the time you need, okay?” Max said as she approached the building alongside Chloe. “We’ll be fine.”

Chloe nodded in response, willing another smile. She took a long breath, gathering her courage in the face of inevitable memories, and together with Max, she ducked inside. Straight away, a deep sense of familiarity and nostalgia poured over her, as by some unknown means, most items had been untouched by either storm or authorities. The dart board still showed the results of her last game, empty pizza boxes what remained of meals taken in sorrowful loneliness, a broken bong her attempts at curing her aching soul. It was a piece of time, a remnant of another life, preserved while the world had moved on.

Chloe’s gaze was unfocused, creeping from corner to corner, her walk deliberate. Fingertips skimmed over the walls, the coarse bricks scraping against her skin. It was the dart board which at last retained her attention, and slowly, she removed it from the wall. “Rachel was always so much better at this than me,” she said, turning toward a quietly observing Max. “Way better.”

_“Come on Price. You gonna try or just roll over again and let me win?”_

_“Shut up. This is hella lame. We need more booze.”_

_“That is true. But first, let me show you how it’s done. Without the booze. For now at least.”_

_“Uh-huh. Then show me your ways.”_

_“Well… You just have to close your eyes, and imagine the center is something you hate. Like… Like your step-dick’s mustache between your mom’s legs.”_

_“Eww, come on! Fuck you! Why did you have to say that? No way in hell am I gonna do that.”_

_“Your loss, Chloe. Your loss.”_

Chloe slumped slightly, her fingers running through her hair. “And whenever I _did_ win, she could be such a sore loser. Never liked being second best, not in school, not when she acted, right down to crap like this.”

“It sounds like she was very driven,” Max said. By now she had sat down on one of the makeshift benches, opting for a narrow spot dipped in sunlight. The warmth slipped through a tiny window, enveloping her in its pleasant embrace, yet it was not enough to clear her lingering unrest.

“You could say that.” Chloe crouched down, depositing the board onto the floor. She was slow to let go, and even slower to stand back up. “We were so different. She could have done anything she set her mind to, while I… Well I didn’t care about anything.”

“That’s not true. You cared about Rachel.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “I know you mean well, but come on… I know what I’m talking about. I didn’t care about home, I didn’t care about school. I didn’t care about anything.” Her face grew taut and haunted, the subsequent words merely a mutter. “I think that for a while I didn’t even care about life.” 

Max’s heart sank like a boulder, and despite knowing Chloe’s stance on the matter, she could not help but feel responsible. The writing she had seen on her first visit was making more sense than ever. Hunched over, her chin dropped to her chest. “ _I want to die_ ,” she read out loud, the words having to fight their way into the world. “Geeze, Chloe… that’s your handwriting, isn’t it?”

Chloe only managed a meager nod. “Yes…It’s mine.” With trembling knees she sat down next to Max, keeping the distance between them to a minimum. “I wrote a lot of shit like that for a while,” she explained, her voice carrying an undeniable somberness. “My diary was like ground zero for it, especially after Rachel disappeared. I thought she just straight up left me, and I… I didn’t take it well. I felt alone and abandoned, and I slipped straight back into old, and destructive habits. Her leaving reminded me of…”

“Of me,” Max said, putting to words the thought coursing through their heads.

“Yeah…” Chloe leaned her head on Max’s shoulder, every finger curling around the girl’s slender arm. For a series of long seconds, silence draped itself over the room.

“I didn’t want to die,” she said all of a sudden, answering the question Max did not dare to ask. “I just… didn’t want to live. Not like that. Not alone. I was afraid, and at first I didn’t know what else to do. But I guess that’s when Rachel saved me a second time. Looking for her was the one thing I still had. It was like this… this thread I could hold onto even when everything else was hell. She was my purpose…” Her eyes prickled with tears, and she burrowed her face deep into the crook of Max’s neck. “I honestly don’t know what I would have done without her…”

“Y-you loved her, right?” Max asked, cringing a little at her unexpected candor.

Chloe flinched backward, letting go of Max’s arm. Her mouth hung agape, her look torn between shock and fear. “Max, I… don’t know what to tell you.”

“The truth. It’s okay.” Smiling, she tenderly ran her fingers through Chloe’s hair, tucking blue strands behind her ear. “I know you did. It’s pretty obvious. And, I’m not jealous or angry or anything. Like I told Rachel, like I told you. I’m so glad you two had each other. I’m so glad she saved you.”

A smile moved across Chloe’s lips, and as the shock wore off, her head one again found rest on Max’s shoulder. “For what it’s worth… You saved me for good. At the lighthouse. I didn’t want to die, I only thought that maybe it would make things better, that I could make a difference and own up to my mistakes. But being alive now, being with you… It means I can actually do that, and have a life.”

Max pulled Chloe’s hands into her lap, her thumb brushing over soft skin. “And I know I keep saying it, but you’ve come a long way already. I’m sure Rachel would agree.”

“I hope so. It’s a nice thought,” Chloe admitted. A faint lightness surged through her body, Max’s touch it’s origin. “Anyway… you’re right. I loved her. When she and I met, I started to crush on her hard. And I think for a while she did as well but… well you’ve seen the stuff in Frank’s RV.” 

“Yeah…”

“I think deep down I knew that something was going on with someone, but I didn’t want to admit it. I didn’t want to admit that those feelings she may have had were gone. For a while that was hard, and sometimes we fought and yelled at each other because of it, but I did my best to push it away, to ignore it, and in the end we always made up. And she kept telling me everything was all right, that nothing changed, and I guess I was all too ready to believe her. Maybe I didn’t want to know... Maybe I was afraid of what it could mean.” She paused. “Maybe that’s why I got so angry when I found out. That she really lied to me and that I went along with it. That she was just like everybody else.” Slowly she let go of her vise-like hold, her hands traveling to Max’s face, cupping her cheeks. Her stomach fluttered as she gazed deep into Max’s eyes, seeing the beauty beneath their surface. “Whatever I felt for her though, whatever I may still feel… I promise you it’s no match for how much I love you. It’s no match for how much better you make my life. You mean everything to me. You are everything to me.”

Somehow, Max had lost herself in Chloe’s words. She had stopped paying attention to the world that lay beyond the confines of these brick walls, not caring for the groaning metal, not caring for the chattering of distant animals, not caring for what had transpired but a week ago. For the first time, she came to truly appreciate and understand the fondness Chloe had developed for this unlikeliest of places, and at long last, she relaxed. “You mean the world to me Chloe,” she said, her tone warm like the sunlight they bathed in. “I’ll always love you. But it’s not a competition.” She leaned in for a kiss, their lips meeting in gentle tenderness. “Don’t knock her down because of me, okay?”

Chloe nodded in silence, her lips still parted from their kiss. “You know, I realized something. Maybe I was also like everybody else. Maybe I was like those people in front of the church. Thinking I did, but in reality not knowing her as well as I thought.” Her arms fell slack at her side, and she heaved a sigh. “I guess part of it is my fault.”

“What do you mean?” Max asked, her head tilting to the side as she spoke. “Why would you say that?”

“I mean… I told you. She had all those big dreams about running away, about L.A., about becoming a model. She made all those plans for us, but I think I was always stuck here in this town, and in the past. I had… have trouble letting go, you know how I am. I kept clinging to things that weren’t there anymore. Like you, like dad, and maybe she knew my heart wasn’t into it.” 

Max’s expression tensed in a show of doubt. “You really think so?”

Chloe shrugged. “I certainly didn’t make it any easier. I never got over you leaving, or dad… and maybe I was too much work. Maybe she thought she’d always be the second best...”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Max said with sudden, and newfound determination. With squared shoulders she shifted and turned to face Chloe head on. “Maybe she made a mistake,” she continued. “And take it from someone who knows about mistakes, and who’ll always regret those she made. I’m certain her intention was never to hurt you. Sure, she had her secrets and her reasons, yes, but I’m sure she would have told you when the time was right.”

“I don’t know…” Chloe shook her head in dejection, averting her gaze. As she did, and out of the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of a photo-strip she had never forgotten. At first she froze, but she could not help but smile as she nonetheless picked it up. Without delay. the memory of its origin flared up. “We took this not long after I first dyed my hair completely blue,” she explained, her voice bearing a noticeable lightness. “Rachel tried to get me to sit still, while I tried _really_ hard not to. Then she just kissed me, and then… Well you can tell how that worked out.” She handed Max the picture, her smile far from waning. “You know, maybe you’re right,” she continued, perking up further. “Maybe it was just how things happened and maybe everything would have worked out if she were still here.”

“I’m sure it would have,” Max agreed, the sentiment genuine and warm. “And don’t you want to remember the angel, the one who saved you, instead of thinking about something you’ll never know the answers to? Something that might not have been that bad? Remember the person she was, not the one she might have been?”

Chloe nodded. “I do.”

“Then tell me about her.” Max all but bounced up and down. “Tell me about the Rachel you knew. Tell me about the Rachel who used to hang out here with you.” Full of excitement, she motioned at the pictures of Rachel and Chloe. “The one that made you happy and smile like this.”

And so Chloe did, beaten by Max’s enthusiasm. “She was… brilliant. Talented and smart,” she began to recount. “She had this way of reading people. She’d talk to you and… just know who you are, what you felt. And I had no real friends, I was a total loner… I guess I still am,” she admitted with passing woe, “But back then, when she and I first talked, I… I felt like she was the first person since you to actually get me. To actually listen and understand why I was feeling a certain way. She didn’t just see the girl with the dead dad, she saw... She saw me. That’s why I fell so hard for her.”

Max listened, her attention undivided, and captured by Chloe’s account. “Go on,” she said, gently stroking Chloe’s legs as if she needed further encouragement.

In fact however, Chloe was more than happy to indulge in Max’s request. The times anyone had ever wished to hear about Rachel, about what she had meant to her were rare, their occurrences spread thin, and so her heart yet again swelled with love for girl at her side. “In many ways she was the total opposite of me. She was great at school, in all the cool clubs, and everybody liked her, everybody knew her, and I think part of her liked the attention. It was a weird combination that most people never got, but it worked.”

Max laughed lightly. “We’re a weird combination, and we work.”

Chloe draped an arm around Max’s shoulder, nestling in close. “No… We only look like one.” She placed a kiss on Max’s jaw, the answer a low, satisfied giggle.

“So how did you two meet?” Max asked, her reaction earning her another kiss. This time a deep breath escaped her, she savored the sweetness in Chloe’s touches, every single one helping her. “Was it school?”

“Not really. We did have some classes together, but we never talked. For the longest time I thought she was just another of those spoiled Blackwell princesses… But I was so wrong. The first time we actually really hung out was at this concert at the old mill. We both had snuck out at night, and that’s where we really met. And it was just at the right time… School was shit, home was shittier…”

“David?”

“And mom.” Chloe slipped away, but even so the distance between them was nothing but a few inches. Her brows gathered in, eyes squeezed shut. With a shake of her head she continued. “She tried her best, and I know I didn’t make it easy for her, but still… I got kicked out of school, I was lost… And then she thought it was such a great idea for David to move in. She latched onto him as if he had the last dick on earth…”

“Chloe…” Max scolded her, offering her a stern look, which all the same showed signs of understanding. “Come on.”

“Sorry… But you know what I mean. It didn’t help, even if she meant well. I needed her, not David… I was desperate for a friend, for anyone really, but I had no one...” For a brief moment her tone wavered. With her head lowered, she eased herself up, shuffling past Max. Her dress brushed past a stack of old magazines, the delicate draft causing some to flutter open. “And then came Rachel... She made life bearable again.”

Max had been watching and listening closely, but the rustling sound of opening pages caught her eyes and ears, and in between the magazines, she spotted the frayed edges of two timeworn bracelets. Reaching over, she picked them up, gingerly inspecting her discovery. The letters R and C dangled from ripped threads, some altogether torn in violent anger. It had not been the first time she had seen these bracelets, although the cheerless sentiment they carried remained the same. 

“What is it?” Chloe asked, having noticed Max’s actions amidst her own train of thought. “Did you find something?”

“Yeah.” Max smiled and opened the palm of her hand. “I think these belong to you.”

Chloe could not entirely hide her surprise, nor the sadness which arose alongside. Slowly, and as though the bracelets weighed a substantial amount, she lifted them out of Max’s hand, before sitting down once again. “Rachel made us a pair of these,” she said, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her dress. “Linked together as a sign for our friendship… Hell… Sometimes she was just as sappy as I.”

_“A friendship bracelet?”_

_“Yeah. Please, don’t be too excited. It’s not like I just gave you a heartwarming gift.”_

_“Sorry. Thanks, I mean. I was… just surprised I guess. Used to do this as a child, not at seventeen.”_

_“So what? Are you saying you’re too old for friendship?”_

_“No…”_

_“Then wear it! Because you, Chloe Elisabeth Price, are the best friend I ever had. And this shall forever be a reminder of that.”_

“I don’t think she ever took hers off. While I…” A pained grimace flashed across her face. “When she disappeared I thought she left without telling me. I always knew she wanted to go but even in my wildest dreams I never would have thought she’d just leave me here alone. I called her so many times and I should have known something was wrong, but my world felt it was falling apart all over again, and… I got angry. I got so angry that I just tore this off and trashed the place.” She clutched the bracelet tightly to her chest, the soothing sensation of Max rubbing her back not enough to quell her welling tears. “After six months I kept searching for her because that’s the only thing I still had, but somewhere deep, deep down I knew she wasn’t coming back. I just didn’t want to face it.”

Max lowered her forehead to Chloe’s, gently touching her. “May I?” she asked, cutting a glance at the bracelets. “It’s just for a few seconds.”

“S-sure.” Barring lonesome tears, Chloe’s look changed into one of confusion. But even so she heeded Max’s request. “Here.”

“Thank you.” Max wore a kind smile, warm, and in her own way lightening up the barren room. Their hands linked themselves together, the motion natural, almost ingrained. “Every day you make life better for the people around you.” she said, carefully slipping the bracelets over Chloe’s fingers and back onto her wrist. “And I know it hurts, but Rachel was lucky to have you in her life. You never gave up on her, and If you ask me, she couldn’t have asked for a better friend.”

Chloe stared at her wrist, at their hands, and she pressed her teeth together, her jaw clenched with all the force she could muster. It was however but a futile effort, and more and more tears ran rivers down her cheeks. “Why? Why did she have to die?” She asked with painful sobs, leaning into Max’s arms. “Why couldn’t she just be with us… happy and… alive. I hate the world for taking her away. I hate the world for hurting her... I hate it so much…” The pitch of her voice rose, high and bursting. “And I miss her Max… I miss her, and I don’t know what to do.” She crumbled into a heap of misery, her face nestling deep into Max’s lap, her soul imprisoned by sorrow. 

_“I miss her so much.”_


	17. Regret and Gratitude

It was a pleasant, if somewhat forgettable tune which played on the radio. Amidst the whirring fan of the kitchen hood, and the perpetual bubbling of boiling water, its lyrics and rhythms were close to indiscernible, yet even so, Joyce found herself humming along. It was however not out of enjoyment, nor out of a general sense of satisfaction. Rather, it was linked to an unyielding anxiety, and as she had to admit to herself, a poor attempt at appeasing her nerves.

As she cooked, the air overflowed with the multi-layered scents of fresh tomato sauce, blended with hints of garlic. With each stir, the smells wafted up with renewed vigor, and little by little they had spread around the house. Behind her, in the living room, a dying fire crackled, and even further beyond, past fogged up windows, the sun dipped beneath the horizon, a red-golden sky expanding above Arcadia Bay.

Over and over again, and despite the homey ambience, one she would have desired to savor in full, her eyes dashed to the clock. After many hours on her own, anticipation and worry had become indistinguishable. The hard wrought battle between her emotions raged on, her longing for her daughter’s return all but overwhelming, and so it was a tidal wave of relief that hit her, once the faint clicking sound of a turning lock echoed into the kitchen.

Her head jerked upward, and there was nothing slow, nothing careful about the way she tapped her spoon against the pot. A plethora of reddish droplets splattered across the tiled backsplash of the kitchen wall, but Joyce had already moved to the hallway, needing no further deliberation.

Chloe and Max arrived hand in hand, huddled together like the tiniest flock of sheep. The sight was not unlike the one Joyce had witnessed in the church, or during their departure that very morning. It warmed her aching heart, yet all the same it seemed as if it was the sole reason keeping her daughter from crumbling to the ground. Tousled hair and loose locks clung to her face, in part hiding the streaks carved into the subtle layers of makeup she had so uncharacteristically worn. 

Joyce had to stifle a bitter wail. She remembered her daughter’s words, but regardless of what Chloe had said, she felt like she no choice but to speak up. “Oh Chloe…Baby…” she said as slow and cautious steps were taken toward each other. “Come here.” Her lips curved into what was a saddened smile, but it was her eyes which betrayed her true emotions. The sight, and the state of her daughter were daggers to her heart, ones she had experienced all too often, ones she did not wish to ever experience again. She extended her unbroken arm, and by some unspoken agreement, Chloe let herself be enveloped in her mother’s embrace, only reluctantly letting go of Max’s hand. “I’m here for you, all right? I love you,” Joyce continued as Chloe nestled her chin on her mother’s shoulder. She did not expect a reply. “We’ll get through this. I’m here.”

Chloe’s answer consisted of a wordless nod, but soon and nonetheless she pulled away. Pain and hurt were written on her face, and at the sight of her, Joyce had to fight back tears. A smile was all she could offer, and with her one functioning hand, she cupped Chloe’s face, her thumb wiping away some of her daughter’s sadness. “Honey I’m so proud of you. You’ve grown up to be such a strong young woman.”

All of a sudden, to Joyce’s evident surprise, and as if the words had flipped a switch, Chloe flung herself back into her mother’s embrace. This time, she burrowed her face deep into to comfort of her shoulder. “I love you mom,” she said, her meek voice a barely there whisper. “Love you…”

Max observed from a safe distance, silent, and granting them what little privacy was to be had. She could not help but smile at the display of love, at the sight of a mending family. More so though, she felt the relief which had followed their return to what she had begun to consider home. To what had become home.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Joyce noticed Max’s expression. While Chloe continued to tarry in her arms, she acknowledged Max not only with a smile, but also with a nod full of appreciation. Silently, she mouthed the words _Thank you_.

It was only slowly that mother and daughter separated, but even as they did, Joyce’s hand remained on Chloe’s arm. She threw a short glance at the kitchen, before bringing her attention back to Chloe. “I made dinner,” she said, her caution unmistakable, her touch light. “I don’t know if you two are hungry, or…even want to eat. But if you are… I thought maybe we could have a quiet dinner together. Just the three of us.”

At first Chloe frowned, but then she peered past her mother. Her eyes shifted to the living room, to the garage, and at last to the stairs. “David isn’t here?” she asked with the same wariness, giving voice to her thoughts.

“No. He’s at work,” Joyce replied. “Today it’s just us ladies.”

The answer caused a somewhat timid smile to pull at Chloe’s lips. “Yeah… I’m hungry,” she said, turning toward Max. “What about you?”

“Starving.” Max took a step forward. With one hand she was grabbing her elbow, still making herself a little smaller than necessary. “It smells really good Joyce.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Joyce did not need to smile. Her southern drawl was music to their ears, and a welcome change of pace. “Then go on, get changed,” she continued, letting run free her enthusiasm. “In the meantime I’ll get things ready.”

Max and Chloe nodded in staggered unison, but as she was about to ascend the stairs, Chloe stopped. “Hey… mom,” she said. A few steps above her, Max slowed down as well. “I’ll hang your dress back in your wardrobe, okay?”

Joyce was used to finding discarded clothes on the floor, and not where one would commonly find them, and therefore her surprise was less than surprising. Her answer however, caught Chloe off-guard. “Keep it,” she said. “I actually never got to wear it, and even if I wanted… Well, let’s just say it likely hasn’t fit me for a long time now.” She shook her head. “And you look gorgeous in it. Better than I ever could. So please, I want you to have it.”

“Mom…” A frown scrunched up Chloe’s brows. “You know I’m probably never gonna wear this again. This is just… not me.”

“Maybe. I know I would have said the same thing when I was your age.” A long sigh escaped her, and she had to pull herself out of the melancholy she so suddenly found herself in. “So please. Better you have it and not wear than me. And who knows, maybe somewhere down the line there’s a happier occasion…” She smiled at Max, who was waiting at the top of the stairwell. “One you might actually _want_ to dress up for.”

  


#### * * *

  


Having donned a more casual attire, Max and Chloe were quick to rejoin Joyce. While upstairs, they had been greeted by a pleasant surprise, as Joyce had finished a considerable batch of laundry. Even as a child, Max had always adored the smell of freshly washed clothes, and the lingering scent of Joyce’s laundry detergent of choice. As a result, the decision to wear her favorite grey hoodie, and her favorite pair of pants, was an easy one. Chloe for her part had slipped into a simple black t-shirt, whose design had faded over the years, as well as one of her trademark jackets.

Meanwhile, Joyce had finished in the kitchen, and somehow the smell permeating the lower floor had only improved. “Ah, there you are!” she had exclaimed as Max and Chloe descended creaking stairs. “Go, go sit down, I’ve already set the table.” 

For most families, dining together was far from unusual, in the case of the Price household however, the opposite rang true. Whilst Max’s return to Arcadia Bay had helped to alleviate the unfortunate situation, there was still a lot of progress to be made. It was in fact for the first time, in what had become many months, that Joyce and Chloe found themselves together at the same table, at the same time, without arguing with one another. As a consequence, the eagerness and happiness with which Joyce acted were infectious, and even Chloe had to admit that she was not only looking forward to the coming hours, but also to leaving the previous ones behind.

Still, the reality of sitting together was an unaccustomed one. Initial conversation remained muted, albeit slowly thawing. The agreeable warmth of the fireplace, the empty bellies and full plates, all contributed their part, and it was Chloe who first broke the stillness. She was sat next to Max, and opposite her mother. “This tastes really good, mom,” she said. “But you know we could have helped you prepare right?”

“Oh please,” Joyce replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I have a broken arm, not a broken body. And I didn’t know when you two were coming home, and I surely wasn’t going to make you cook with me. So it’s fine.”

“Still…” Chloe muttered, twisting another heap of spaghetti around her fork. “Next time tell me, okay? I… do wanna help out.”

“You can help me with the dishes.”

Chloe gave her mother an incredulous stare. Her mouth stood agape, the fork hovering halfway to its destination. “Fine…”

“Oh Chloe…” Joyce failed to suppress a laugh. “I’m kidding. But it’s so nice of you. If something comes along that you can give me a hand with, I’ll tell you, all right? Though that means you’ll be putting Max out of a job.”

Max chuckled. “Or you’ll have two helpers.” 

“True. But I’m not about to make you work for me.”

“I don’t mind. I’m used to it,” Max replied nonchalantly, shrugging as she did. In answer to the questioning looks she received from both sides of the table, she decided to elaborate. “I mean back… home.” The word was never one to roll lightly of her tongue, and ever since her return to Arcadia Bay, it had grown even harder. “Dad is working a lot, and mom started again full-time once we had settled in. They’re both pretty busy, and so I’ve been looking after myself when they weren’t home. I’m kinda used to doing a lot of the chores by now.”

“How come you didn’t tell me?” Chloe asked. The thought of Max spending her time alone, and possibly facing the same loneliness she had, was making her uncomfortable. “I didn’t know you were on your own that much.”

Max forced a smile, her eyes training toward Joyce. “I had to. It’s not like there was another home I could go to.”

“Well, there is now,” Joyce replied. “This is as much your home as it is ours. You’re part of the family, Max.” She set down her cutlery, and took a sip of water. “But all that talk reminds me,” she continued, “that in all this craziness, we haven’t even had the chance to catch up, you and me. So… How was living in the big city? Some of it must have been exciting, no?”

“I mean… I dunno, some of it, yeah.” Picking at her food, Max shook her head. It was not a conversation she was looking forward to, nor was the direction it may take. “It was really good for taking pictures, and all the museums and galleries were great, but I don’t think I’m made for city life. It just never felt like home, or like I-” The low ping of her phone pulled her out her train of thought. It was a welcome distraction, but as she read the message she had received, her voice turned more than a pitch lower, her expression somber. “Like I belong…”

_**Kate:** Max. I hope you’re doing great! I’m back at Blackwell tomorrow. I heard there was a service. I want to go, but don’t think I can go alone. Will you be there? You’re my best friend and maybe we can go together? xoxoxo Kate_

Max stared at her phone, abrupt quietness stretching across the living room. Her reaction had gone by neither unnoticed, nor without raising concern. Only the crackling fire kept going unfazed. “What happened?” Chloe asked, jumping out of her seat to look over Max’s shoulder. “What’s going on?”

“Yes,” Joyce added. She too had stopped eating. “Is everything all right Max?”

“Y-es. Yes, I’m sorry. It’s nothing. It’s just-” She managed to pull herself out of her stupor, right as another message threatened to haul her back in. 

_**Kate:** It would mean a lot to me. Please._

Max slouched backward, hitting the backrest of her chair harder than she intended. With a resigned sigh she handed Chloe her phone. “It’s a friend of mine,” she explained to a visibly confused, and concerned looking Joyce. “There’s this memorial service tomorrow at Blackwell and she wants me to go with her.”

“And we said we wouldn’t go,” Chloe elaborated further as she skimmed over the messages. “Not after today. We’re just… tired.”

“Oh, yes, that’s right,” Joyce said. “David told me something like that.” She seemed thoughtful, offering them both a smile. “You gave me a good scare there Max.”

“I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to. It took me by surprise, that’s all.”

“Sweetheart, you don’t need to apologize. After all you’ve done, I completely understand. I wish I could tell you what to do, but it’s not my place to do so. But I know you’ll do the right thing.”

“Whatever that is,” Chloe mumbled, returning to her spot at the table. “I guess there really is no rest for the wicked…” 

Aware that her reaction had put at risk the dinner they had been enjoying up to this point, Max locked away her worries. Her reply to Kate was concise at best, assuring her of a later, and more complete response. Putting her phone aside, she nonetheless apologized to Joyce for the interruption, before leaning close to Chloe, and whispering into her ear. “I’m sorry. You okay if we talk about this later?”

Chloe nodded her approval. For a moment, any trace of appetite had fled, but the grumble of her stomach provided a most welcome segue. Motioning at the empty plates in front of them, she stood up. “Are you still hungry, mom?” she asked. “I’m gonna get seconds.”

“Oh!” Joyce gasped. She scooted her chair back a few inches, but before she had the opportunity to stand up, Chloe’s hand was on her shoulder.

“Mom,” she said firmly. “Please, sit. Relax, for once. I’ll get it.”

All things considered, it was a most humble, and straightforward act of kindness. To Joyce however, it appeared to be much, much more. Her hand flew to her chest, and she clutched it to her heart. Her face lit up the room, her eyes glowing, and for moment, as Chloe’s could have sworn, tears were about to break free. “Thank you,” she said, her voice tiny, but rich with emotion. “Thank you v-very much.”

Over time, as dinner progressed, conversations flowed back and forth, old memories were dug up, and new ones made. Hurry remained a foreign concept, and as Max, Chloe and Joyce caught up on past years – through skirting around all things Seattle, due to an obviously related unease on Max's part – laughs were to be had, and traces of nostalgia to be found. Despite the fact that every now and then the aftermaths of Rachel’s funeral, and Kate’s messages continued to rear their ugly heads, the dreary mood which at first had gripped them, was gradually dissipating. 

It was the ever-growing pile of dirty dishes in the sink that marked the conclusion of their gathering. With bellies full, Chloe and Joyce balanced the last plates to the kitchen, while Max excused herself for a bathroom break. “I know you were kidding earlier,” Chloe said as she deposited her share of tableware on the counter, “but I was serious. I can help with the dishes.”

Using her elbow, Joyce turned on the faucet. Warm water splashed into the sink. “No, you did more than enough already. Go on, go upstairs, have some fun.”

“You sure?”

 _“Yes._ ” Joyce waved her off. “This needs to soak overnight anyway. We’ll do it tomorrow morning, all right?”

Chloe nodded, glancing around with slight reluctance. With Max yet to reappear, she took a step toward Joyce. “Mom?” she said shyly. “This… was nice.” Her ears turned red, and she rubbed the base of her neck. Joyce was about to respond, but she did not wish to give her the chance to do so. Darting forward, she simply pressed a swift kiss to her mother’s cheek. “I’d love to do this more often, okay?”

  


#### * * *

  


“So, uh… About the Kate thing,” Max said once they had withdrawn to Chloe’s room. She had, in the meantime, received another series of messages, and was anxious to provide a definite answer. “I know today is not a good time, but…” A lack of eye contact reigned between them, and as she spoke her hand scraped through her hair. “I guess we have to talk about it.”

Chloe shrugged, wasting no time to slump onto the bed. “Yeah… Guess you’re right. Can’t get around it.”

“You don’t have to go,” Max replied post-haste. She did not join Chloe, and took but a few short steps into the room. “I know you don’t want to go, so I’ll just… go alone, and come back once it’s done.” She tried her best, but did not sound as convincing as she had hoped. “It can’t take that long, right?” Her look was almost quizzical, as if she were hoping Chloe would agree with her assessment.

“Right. But, come on…” Chloe propped herself up on her elbows, and with an ever so slight nod she motioned at the space next to her. “After all you did for me today, I’d be a huge dick if I didn’t come with you. And like you said, it can’t take that long.”

In spite of Chloe’s answer, Max was torn between appreciation and guilt, and she felt herself dip into the latter. “I know we said we wouldn’t go, and…” She reached into her pocket to pull out her phone, and instead of sitting down, she scanned the messages Kate had sent. “If it weren’t for Kate I wouldn’t ask, but she seems… I don’t know.”

Chloe put to words what Max could not. “In need of her friend?” 

Although Max could relate all too well to Kate’s struggles—the notion of having yet another person rely on her, of yet more burdens to carry, was met with quiet exasperation. She drew in a long breath, and an even longer sigh vanished into the air. At last she sat down, on the edge of the bed, her head lowered.

“Hey…” Chloe sat up and scooted forward until she was right behind Max. Her arms wound around her girlfriend’s waist, and she lowered her chin onto her shoulder. There was an undeniable tenderness in her actions, a palpable amount of love. While gently nuzzling Max’s cheek, and giving her a light squeeze, she continued. “It’s been a long day. So just tell her we’ll come, and then let’s forget about tomorrow, okay? We’ll be fine, I promise.”

Max nodded, glancing over her shoulder. “I just hope she’s okay with us both being there. Last time she saw you, she seemed… almost scared.”

“Well, I’m sorry,” Chloe said. “But she won’t have a choice. We’re a package deal.” She leaned forward, her hand grazing along Max’s chin, gently requesting her to meet her gaze in full. “Now please, I don’t know about you, but after today I’m fucking exhausted… So let’s just kick back and relax, and I don’t know… watch that second movie we never got around to watching yesterday.” 

The prospect of peaceful hours was a welcome one, and with it, Max perked up. She turned to face Chloe, and in one smooth motion she slung her legs over her girlfriend’s lap. “Movies and cuddles,” she said. “That sounds nice.”

Chloe did not respond. Given the opportunity, she simply brushed her lips against Max’s—the sensation, the lightness of the touch, sent shivers shivers through their bodies, shivers that made them tremble. “I’ve been waiting the entire day for this,” Chloe whispered. But it was not gentleness she sought. With her arms still firmly wound around Max’s slender waist, she let herself fall backward, and so they found themselves in passion, their minds, their bodies, woven together.

Their lips remained locked even as the kiss came to an end, and it was only slowly that they parted. Chloe shuffled a little closer, lowering her forehead to Max’s, their breaths mingling. She spoke with but a whisper. “I never thought I would love cuddling this much. But with you…” Fingertips skimmed along the side of Max’s face, from her temple, to her cheek, to her jaw. “There’s nothing I’d rather do.”

Max brimmed with love, the aftershocks of their kiss continuing to course through her veins. “Well, that’s because under that hard shell of yours…” she said softly as she tapped a finger against Chloe’s sternum. “You are just one big and mushy softy.”

Chloe laughed, the sound dainty, yet warm and happy. After an ocean of tears, it was, to Max’s ears, the most beautiful of things. “Only when I’m with you,” she replied. “Because if there’s one thing today showed me, it’s that when you’re there, I don’t need to be afraid of anything.”

The words made Max’s stomach flutter. It was something only Chloe could manage. “I think… I think the same goes for me too. When you’re there it makes all the things in my mind just a little quieter. And little less…” She let her nose graze against Chloe’s, moving back and forth. “Complicated I guess.”

“That’s good. That’s a start.” Chloe’s tone changed, hopeful in the guise of determined. “And I promise, in time we’ll get rid of them for good. We’ll get better. Together.”

Max smiled, a rosy color to her face. “What about you?” she asked. “How are you feeling?” For a moment, Chloe could have sworn there was a glow enveloping her.

“I’m okay, I think.” She rolled onto her back, and gazed up at the water-stained ceiling. “I think talking about it helped. Like to you, to Rachel… Hell, even dinner was great. Feels like all this stuff I had bottled up is finally out. I don’t know, it feels… lighter.” She quickly glanced over to Max. “If that makes any sense.”

“It does. I get it. It’s like they say, talking helps…” Max adjusted her hoodie, before reclining as well. Her voice carried the faintest trace of resignation. “I guess you just need to be ready for it.”

“Yeah…” Upon noticing Max’s tone, Chloe snuggled up to her. She wrapped her arms around Max’s midriff to hold her close, and while resting her head on her chest, she absorbed the sound of her beating heart. Likewise, the drawstrings of Max’s hoodie proved to be a welcome entertainment. “I know you’ll be ready someday,” she said. “And whenever that day comes, I’ll be there to listen.”

“I know you will.” Her hand reached for the hair behind Chloe’s ear. Gently, she twirled a strand around her fingers, admiring the vivid shades of blue. “And whenever you want to talk, just say it okay?”

“I will. Promise.” Chloe drew herself even closer, burrowing even deeper into Max’s chest. Pleasurable, and mild traces of floral perfume reached her nose. “You know…” she said with words muffled by proximity, and softened by affection. “I don’t even need a movie right now. This… _This_ is all I need right now.”

“You mean my boobs?” Max said with a soft laugh. Though meant as nothing but banter, she could not help but feel a little flustered, a little out of her depth. However, she also did not wish to object, and in fact, she was unable to feign the slightest hint of annoyance, too gentle was Chloe’s embrace, too serene her smile. After all, everything felt perfect.

“Hella yes.” Chloe giggled. “They’re very comfy. _You_ are very comfy.” 

“Oh, shut up.”

It was a mixture of curiosity and adoration which made Chloe crane her neck. She peered into Max’s eyes, not only earning herself, but also reciprocating a loving smile. “Hey,” she said, “if you’re ever uncomfortable, just say it, okay?”

“Don’t worry, it’s okay.” Max replied. She stroked Chloe’s cheek, her other hand moving through the mop of her hair and down her back. “I was just kidding. I like having you close. Like I said… it makes everything a little easier.”

Chloe’s smile and her entire expression, was as soft as the rest of her. She reached up, and once more brought her hand under Max’s chin. “I love you,” she whispered. “Thank you for believing in me today.”

Max nodded. “Forever.” Their lips met, the kiss short, but saturated with sweetness and love. “And always.”

  


#### * * *

  


Night had settled, the sole source of light a pale sliver carved of a shining moon. It shone through a partially open window, its glow enough to highlight the contours of Chloe’s room. Curtains danced in a soft breeze, the night air filled with the waning song of Arcadia Bay’s crickets. Even though the world found itself in darkness’ firm grasp, the hours were early, and well before midnight. 

Regardless of time, both Max and Chloe had fallen asleep, the latter having done so mere minutes after first closing her eyes, while the former followed much later. For the longest time Max had managed to remain awake, holding a lightly snoring, and yet to be moving Chloe in her arms. Acting on what had become instinct, fingers had begun to thread through the blue of her locks, caressing and stroking her as she slept, and gathering strands as if to braid her hair. While doing so, messages had been sent to Kate, to reassure her, to get rid of any unwarranted fears, and in time, eyes grew heavy. 

Ever since the storm Max’s sleep was light, easy to disturb, and so it was the subtlest of sounds which caused her to rouse from her slumber. Struck by confusion, she leered into the darkness, in search of the sound’s origin. Her suspicions were promptly confirmed as a second knock on the door sounded through room. She scrambled up, careful to move Chloe’s head from her chest to her lap. To her relief, Chloe did not wake. “Y-yeah?” she called out. “C-come in.”

Slowly the door opened, and before the backdrop of an illuminated hallway, Joyce’s silhouette came into view. “I’m sorry,” she said, glancing around. “I hope I didn’t wake you. I thought you weren’t sleeping yet.” The contrast made it impossible to read her facial expression, but her tone conveyed surprise.

“No… No, it’s okay,” Max replied, though the purpose of Joyce’s visit eluded her. “But uh… Chloe is asleep. It’s been a long day for her.”

“That’s all right. She deserves some rest.” Running her hand along the doorframe, Joyce felt for the light switch. Max had to squint at the sudden burst of light. “I actually just wanted to see how she’s doing. No one should have to go through such a thing, especially not at that age. You’re all too young for that …” Joyce continued. Without making as much as the tiniest noise, she closed the door. “I’m her mother, and I can’t even begin to imagine what she must have felt…” She shook her head, an onslaught of sadness darkening her features.

“Well, we talked a lot…” Max said, watching Joyce scurry closer with ever careful steps. “You know about Rachel, and about all those years… And you’re right, it was hard on her. But I think she’ll be fine. She… she just needs some more time, that’s all.”

Joyce smiled and nodded at Max’s words, her features showing the same recognition as earlier. For a short moment, neither of them spoke, and as she sat down at the foot of the bed, Joyce’s eyes trailed over her sleeping daughter. They lingered on her face, and the lap it was cradled in. “She used to do this as a child,” she said, placing a hand on Chloe’s leg. “Whenever she was sad or not well she’d crawl into bed with William, and he wouldn’t move the entire day if need be. And she always made sure to take full advantage of it.”

“Or downstairs on the couch,” Max added. “I remember us watching cartoons the entire day.” It was a memory she look back at with fondness. “I miss those days…”

“Believe me, I do too…” Joyce breathed a shallow sigh, averting her eyes to the windows. “It all feels like a lifetime ago. God… the last time I saw her do this was the day Bill left us.” It seemed as if she spoke not to Max, but to the air around her. The memory of that day remained all too clear in her mind, all too harrowing the consequences, all too painful the subsequent years. “She was always so much closer to her father. From the day she could talk it was always… daddy, daddy, daddy. And he was so great with her. Before you two met he was her entire world… I simply never had that connection to her, not the way he did. But it never made me love her any less, even if she sometimes thought that. After all… She was my little girl…” The last of her sentence was accompanied by a snivel, and she reached into her pocket to pull out a tissue. She clutched it within lightly quivering hands, and her attention shifted back to Chloe. “The little girl who was so bright and full of life. Who was so happy, without a care in the world…”

Max listened, finding herself once more in a familiar, and in this case, dreaded position. As always, she did not wish to impose, and instead, as Joyce’s voice trailed off, she granted her the time and space she needed, herself holding out hope for improvement.

Improvement which did not arrive. 

“After William died…” Joyce continued, her tone trembling increasingly, her fiddling with the tissue growing more desperate. “I… tried to keep us going, god knows I tried… But I never understood her as he did, and when I tried it was too late. I had already lost her… And then I made so many mistakes, from letting her get away with everything because I thought she needed space, to… to pushing David into her life.” As she spoke, Chloe stirred, mumbling in her sleep. It was impossible to understand her words, but they were met with smiles, both gloomy and small. “I tried to move us forward, but that’s not what she needed…” Gingerly, she pulled the covers over her sleeping daughter. It was a small display of love, but one she had not been able to provide in years. “She needed me.”

Outside, somewhere in the distant night, a siren blasted through Arcadia Bay. The howl of a neighbor’s dog followed. And Joyce had yet to finish. “But my worst mistake was making her feel unwelcome in her own home,” she said. “Making her think that I chose David over her. I only wanted the best for her, I thought she needed a stable family, and I wanted a stable family. But I should have looked more after her and not after myself. I let my misguided judgment come between us and it almost cost me my Chloe...” 

Joyce gave her head a woeful shake, and silence took over once again. This time however, Max preferred to speak up. “Joyce…” she said, reaching out to place a hand on her forearm. She was careful not to disturb Chloe. “I don’t mean to be rude… but why are you telling me all this? I’ve seen you two try, and I know for a fact that Chloe loves you. So why don’t you just talk to her, instead of me?”

The question did not seem to surprise Joyce, but nevertheless her answer was not immediate. She scooted closer, and clasped Max’s hand within her own. “Max, you’re a damn angel in my book. You are like a second daughter to me. And I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m piling all of this onto you. I promise I will talk to her. Not today… and maybe not tomorrow either, but we will talk.” Joyce’s stare was almost piercing, yet warm in a motherly way. To reassure her, she squeezed Max’s hand. “For now she’s been through enough, and like you said she needs some time. And I want to give her that. Because I know I didn’t in the past. She’s still grieving for her father, and now Rachel… So there’s still a long road ahead, for us both.” 

“I… I understand. You two need time.” 

“Yes…” To Max’s relief, Joyce broke eye contact. She looked at the maze of photos on the wall, at the pictures of her daughter smiling. She did not care whether they were of days long gone, or of more recent ones. They all made her smile, but they also strengthened the relentless welling of tears. “But Max… ever since you came back into our lives I... I keeping seeing glimpses of that happy little girl who used to run around the house, that happy little girl who had to grow up so fast, the happy little girl who vanished so abruptly.” A loud sob leaped from her chest, and quickly she let go of Max’s hand. Using the by now crumpled up tissue, she dabbed at her eyes. “And I don’t want to lose her, Max,” she said through another sob. “Not again.” The battle against her tears was short, and once the first broke free, the rest followed in an unabating torrent. She began to cry with a force that spelled out years of pent-up grief and heartache, and as if ashamed by her emotions, she lurched upward, moving to the door. Her breaths were heavy, stifling silent screams, and she hid her face to the best of her limited ability. “ _Never_ again.”

At the sight of Joyce breaking down, a woman Max had always known to be a rock to those around her, she too felt her heart break apart. She pushed away her initial aversion, and, lifting Chloe’s head out of her lap, she scrambled up. As she came to a standing position, she only carefully approached her, and with the very same care, she reached out to her, placing a hand on a shaking shoulder.

As if she were startled, Joyce spun around, but without a sign of hesitation, she wrapped Max in a hug so tight it all but knocked the air out of their lungs. “You brought her back from the brink. Y-you brought me back my daughter. My little girl,” she cried through wracking sobs. “Thank you… Thank you for bringing her back to me.”

Max was on the verge of tears, and as she returned the hug, her hands found their way to the woman’s back. “Joyce…” she said with a sob of her own. “She… she never left you. She was always there. I didn’t do anything.”

“Of course you did... _Of course_ you did.” Joyce cupped her face, along with giving her an imploring stare. Tears continued to flow in unbroken streams. “Don’t be so humble. For once, be proud of yourself. We wouldn’t be here without you. We wouldn’t have made it much longer. _You_ brought me back my girl. _You_ brought me back my family. _You_ did all of that.”

Max’s mouth flinched open, but ultimately, she was at a loss for words. She had quite simply nothing to rebuke, not while in the knowledge of the fate Chloe had been spared from, and the burdens it would have placed on her family. Furthermore, and in spite of the circumstances, she could not help but relish the feeling of a long-needed mother’s touch, the feelings of safety and comfort it provided. In the end, she too broke down crying.

Amidst their tears, neither of them noticed the quietly stirring Chloe. “Max? Mom?” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, the unusual scene in front of her only sinking in after some instants. Once it did, she sat up, bewildered. “What’s going on? Why are you crying?”

The sound of Chloe’s groggy voice broke through their shared anguish, and it drew them apart. “Nothing honey. It’s nothing…” Joyce replied. She laid her hand over Max’s heart, offering her another look tinged with gratitude. “Thank you,” she whispered once more, before hurrying over to Chloe’s bed. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

Chloe slipped out from under the covers. As her mother rushed toward her, she caught a glimpse of Max wiping away tears. She frowned, eyes darting between them. “Are you sure? Is everything all right?”

“Yes, honey. Yes.” Joyce slouched down next to Chloe, sinking into the mattress, and into the waiting embrace of her daughter. Her emotions, sadness and happiness, were but two sides of the same coin. “Everything will finally be all right.”


	18. A Distant Thought

“Max! Max are you there? Do you hear me? Come on, please wake up! Please!”

With each passing second, the fervor and desperation in Chloe’s pleas grew. Yet unbeknownst to her, they were no more than echoes reverberating through Max’s mind, far from ever reaching their destination. Too thick was the haze shrouding Max’s thoughts, too deafening the voices of those calling out her innermost dread and remorse.

“Max, please… baby,” Chloe begged. Max’s unnerving state choked out her words, breaking them into pieces. “Please, don’t do this to me. Please…”

Chloe’s eyes darted back and forth, and seeing no other alternative, she grabbed Max by the shoulders. Strong fingers dug through thin cloth and into unaware flesh, and using all her might, she began to shake her all but catatonic girlfriend. 

“Come on!” she cried. “Please wake up.” At first, the absence of even the slightest reaction brought forth bitter wails, however as Max’s head swayed and rolled, she at long last began to stir.

As if snapping out of a deep slumber, Max’s eyes flinched, adjusting to her surroundings, while her mind caught up to what had occurred. She found herself at Chloe’s desk, staring ahead into the distant devastation carved through Arcadia Bay. In front of her lay her open laptop, displaying not only an e-mail, but also seven names she had grown all too accustomed with. 

“Goddammit Max,” Chloe breathed her relief, her shoulders sinking to the ground. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

“C-Chloe?” Stricken by lingering confusion, Max whipped around, meeting the gaze of a hunched over Chloe. It seemed as though she was at the verge of tears. “I… I-I’m sorry. I-I was just thinking. I didn’t mean to-”

“No, Max, no. For fuck’s sake, no!” With each word, Chloe’s nails dug deeper into Max’s shoulder, pushing her into the chair to keep her from leaving. Her eyes were glistening and wide, her head shaking violently. “You can’t keep doing this. Zoning out like that. This is like the third time now. In two fucking days. I just-” She refrained herself from continuing, sighing and instead opting for a calmer tone. “Max… Just please, tell me what’s going on, okay?

Max’s response was as expected. She twisted her neck, looking back over her shoulder, and away from Chloe. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice small. “I’m just… I don’t know.”

The realization of what Max had been looking at was slow to hit, having been over-shadowed during the commotion. Once it did, it felt like a painful sting, and so Chloe swiftly closed Max’s laptop, reclaiming her attention. “Look,” she said. “Every morning you wake up looking like a zombie, or like you’ve seen a ghost. And now this?” She nodded toward the laptop. “I know you wanna go to that memorial, but seeing you like this… Honestly I don’t think it’s a good idea. We should stay home. These past days have been hard enough already.”

“No,” Max shook her head, continuing to avoid Chloe’s gaze to the best of her abilities. “Kate. She needs me. You said it yourself. She’s my friend, and I-”

“I get it,” Chloe assured her. “I do.” She crouched down in front of her, her hands slipping down Max’s shoulders and arms until they rested on her knees. “You’re afraid you could lose your friends, or that they wouldn’t understand. But this not the way to go about it. You don’t need to be a genius to know something is wrong.”

“I’m just tired and… and nervous. That’s all.” Max forced a smile, but as soon as she did, she was sure Chloe could tell it was fake. “I’ll be better once we’re back, okay? I promise.”

“You don’t look like someone who’s nervous,” Chloe replied. She too tried to smile, but she too failed. Grimacing, she ultimately only managed to press her lips together into a thin line. “Honestly you look like shit, like someone who’s scared, not nervous. I saw it yesterday at the junkyard, and I’m seeing it right now.” Lightly she squeezed Max’s knees, begging for her attention. “Please, look at me Max. I’m worried about you, okay?”

Max heeded her request. She nodded, signaling her understanding, but nevertheless her actual answer remained lacking. “Just be there with me, okay?” she said. “I’ll be fine if you’re there.”

The reply caused Chloe’s posture to drop even further. Their difference in opinion was unmistakable, as was the look of dejection and defeat on her face. Shaking her head, she drew herself back up to her full height. “Anyway…” she muttered, breathing a low sigh and motioning at the bed. “You’re phone’s been buzzing like crazy for the past minutes and you better get it. It’s your folks.”

“Fuck…” Max’s arms fell slack at her side, and before she had the chance to say anything else, her phone began ringing once more. Her features went blank, and her eyes dull, in what was equal parts frustration and resignation. It had almost been a week since their last call, and in the meantime the extent of Max’s efforts to communicate had been scarce at best. She had not known what to say, nor how to say it. In the hope of avoiding uneasy interrogations, she had therefore merely opted to inform her parents of her continued wellbeing, by means of a handful of meager messages.

“Yeah… I think you’d best call back,” Chloe said, throwing a glance at the buzzing phone. “I don’t see it stopping anytime soon.” Again Max gave a silent nod, but otherwise she remained seated and unmoving. “Look…” Chloe continued, “I’ll go and take a quick shower and get ready, okay? I’ll be back in just a few.” Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to Max’s forehead. Her lips lingered for a moment, her nose nuzzling into the brown mop of hair. “And please, if anything comes up, just holler or something… I only want to help.” 

“I know,” Max replied after a couple of seconds. “Thank you.” 

The corners of Chloe’s lips curved up into a hint of a smile. This time it was genuine. “Always.”

It was not until Chloe had left the room, that Max pushed herself up. With small steps she shuffled to the bed, letting herself tumble down face first onto the soft mattress. The stench of cigarettes clung to the fabric, and with a groan, she rolled over. Meanwhile her phone continued to ring, and she continued to ignore it. Even the ceiling proved to be a most welcome distraction, but she knew she could not dismiss her parents forever. As a result, once the most recent attempt at reaching her had come to an end, she at last grabbed her phone, disconnecting it from its charger. She had not only missed several of her parent’s calls, but also almost a dozen messages. After skimming over them, she dialed back.

Her phone had barely made it to her ear, when her father’s voice rang through the speakers. “Maxine?”

“Yeah. It’s me. Hi pop,” she replied, sneering, and not hiding her displeasure upon hearing her full name. “You called.”

As had been the case with so many conversations, the one she was about to engage in with her parents was not met with glee. She was not only apprehensive of potential questions, or the direction it may take, but also the reception her answers may fall upon. Most of her replies were short, and more often than not pointed, or lacking in depth. At most she went through the motions, over and over assuring her father of her wellbeing, as well as apologizing for her wanting contact. Over time her mind drifted again, and as she lay there on the bed, eyes trained on the ceiling, her replies became shorter and shorter, until they stopped for good.

“And so, that being said,” her father spoke, seemingly undeterred. “Your mother and I we talked. Extensively. We think that, given the circumstances, it is best for you to come back home. There are fantastic schools here, and I’m-”

The words were like a wrecking ball, crashing into Max’s daydreams. “Wait, what?” she asked, bolting upright as if she had to make sure she heard right. “N-no, no, no… I’m staying here.”

“Maxine…”

“No!” she repeated. “And please stop calling me that.” She scooted over to the edge of the bed, shifting her phone to her other ear. “I told you guys, I’m fine. I’m all right. There’s no need for that. I don’t need to come home.”

An exasperated sigh sounded over the phone line. “We understand that you might be upset. But your mother and I, we disagree,” her father explained. “And it is not up for discussion. I promise you it’s not a decision we made lightly or on a whim. We talked an-”

“Yes! Yes…” Max had to keep herself from yelling at him. Anger and fear wrapped their unrelenting coils around her, the implications of what her parents were asking breaching her already shaken mind. She jumped up, and began pacing up and down the length of Chloe’s room, gesturing wildly. “You, talked! You! But you didn’t even bother to ask for my opinion. What bullshit is that? Is my opinion not worth anything?”

“Please, calm down…”

“No!” Max stomped her foot. “Just leave me be!”

Another sigh echoed through the speaker. Her father’s voice grew smaller, and muffled by distance. “Would you please talk to her? I’m not getting through to her.” A few seconds later the rumble of a phone changing hands followed, it in itself trailed by her mother’s voice.

“Pumpkin,” she said, her tone not only noticeably calmer, but also warmer. “I know you really wanted to go to that school, and we agreed to let you because it had a reputation. A good one, very good even. But now…. Now it has another one. You have to understand that we’re worried, especially after what happened. That girl, that storm, that teacher… That’s why we think it is best for you to be far away from that place.”

While at first the sound of her mother’s voice had a calming effect, her message did more than offset it. “Mom,” Max pleaded. “Please don’t that. Nothing happened! I promise you, I’m fine.” What was fear but moments ago, had changed to anxiety. Her thoughts and heart were tangled in a desperate race, and with no solution in sight, it felt as if the latter could burst out of her chest at any minute. “Y-you w-would have heard right? If… If I have been hurt?” Her sentences had been reduced to stammers, matching the pace of her heartbeat. Even acting as if nothing had happened pained her. “Right?” 

“Please, look at it from our perspective. We understand that you are angry and disappointed, and that’s all right,” her mother continued. By all accounts she chose her words carefully, but they failed at stopping Max’s incessant pacing. “But we are worried, and Arcadia Bay is not a place you should be at right now. We’ve sent you tickets, and as your father said, this time it’s not up for discussion. We only want what’s best for you.”

“No! You don’t!” As she passed the desk, Max slammed her fist into its wooden surface, knocking over a pen holder, and sending a couple of pencils rolling onto the floor. “You don’t understand anything! I’m not coming home!”

“Maxine-”

“No!” With one final act of defiance, one final anguished and guttural scream, she hung up on her mother. “Fuck!” she yelled, hurling her phone to the bed, causing it to crash against the wall, and scatter to the ground. It did not shatter, but her nerves were not as durable. “Fuck,” she yelled once more, the sound piercing through every part of the house, and once more she pummeled the desk with her fists. “Fuck…” Tears welled up in her eyes, her head and shoulders hanging low.

It only took a few seconds for the door to swing back open. Chloe came rushing toward her, dressed in nothing but her favorite towel. Her hair was soaked through, dripping wet and plastered to her forehead. “Max! What’s going on? What happened?” she asked between heavy breaths, placing a hand on Max’s back. “Are you okay?”

Max nodded. “I’m okay… Nothing happened.” She wiped away her tears, trying to shake off what had transpired, but after the shortest bout of hesitation she nevertheless flung herself into Chloe’s arms. “Don’t worry about it, okay?” she said, her voice muffled and broken as she leaned against her. “I promise everything will be all right.”

Unable to hide her doubt, Chloe frowned. Given the earlier situation, her worries had only grown. “That was not nothing,” she said. “I’m pretty sure the entire neighborhood heard you.”

“Chloe… Please.” Max broke away, enough to be able to look her in the eyes. “Just leave it be. Okay?”

Pursing her lips, Chloe shook her head. She surveyed the room, and as she did, Max’s phone began to ring once again. Her attention was quickly drawn to it, and so she saw it lying on the floor. “Trouble brewing?”

Again it was getting too much for Max. “I said don’t worry about it, okay?” she snapped, feeling the lingering rage simmer stronger. This time, she slipped away for good. She loathed lying to Chloe, hated keeping her in the dark, but she saw no other way. The ramifications of what her parents were asking were too severe, and the truth too painful to share, and so the decision to keep Chloe in what she hoped was blissful ignorance, was made.

“Max-” 

“No, Chloe please! I beg you… I don’t want to fight,” she said, her tone unchanged. She moved to pick up her phone, and quickly she turned it off. “Let’s just get ready and go to that stupid memorial and get everything over with. Please.”

  


#### * * *

  


It was not a solemn, but rather a heavy, and uneasy stillness, which escorted Max and Chloe past the ruins of the Blackwell swimming pool. It hung over them like a black cloud, and it seemed as if they were moving in the constant shadow of Max’s meltdown. While Chloe had stopped prodding and pressing, her mind kept slipping back to Max’s anguished screams, and to their apparent source. Afraid of Max’s potential reaction, she knew there was no point in trying to confirm her suspicions, and at least part of her was happy to ignore them.

“So uh, where are we meeting Kate?” Chloe asked as they arrived at the main courtyard. Since their last visit, most debris had been cleaned up or removed, and in parts the school shone in its former glory. Yet even so, the reminders of the storm remained. What were once proud and mighty trees were reduced to nothing but stumps, and of the many seating opportunities, only a lonely bench had survived. 

“She said she would wait at the fountain,” Max replied, nodding toward the spot in question. To her surprise, Kate was not yet present. “That’s odd.”

Chloe slipped her hands into her pockets. “I take it she’s not the late type?”

“No… Not really,” Max muttered as she scanned the area ahead. Kate was indeed nowhere to be seen, and in fact, most of the yard was devoid of people. “You okay if we sit down a bit? If she doesn’t show we can always go and check the dorms.” 

“Sure. Of course.”

The lack of people was a relief to both of them. It allowed for fleeting moments of respite on an otherwise comfortless day, though to various degrees. Together they sat down at the fountain, quiet, and enjoying the sparse sunshine. Chloe was the first to try and strike up conversation, uncomfortable with Max’s silence. “The future needs excellence,” she said, her eyes wandering over the statue of Blackwell’s founder. “What a load of crap.”

_“We think that, given the circumstances, it is best for you to come back home.”_

“I’m sorry. What did you say?” Max replied. Her gaze was fixated on the dormitories, and only for an instant she looked at Chloe. “I wasn’t listening.”

“It’s nothing…” A strained smile pulled at Chloe’s lips, but as soon as Max looked away again, it vanished. She shook her head, dipping her fingers into the water. It was icy cold, but clear and sparkling in the sun, reflecting the clouds overhead. “It’s just what the inscription says. Under the statue.”

“Oh.” Again Max cut Chloe a glance. “Never really paid attention to it.”

“Yeah well… It’s a stupid slogan anyway,” Chloe replied. Using her index finger, she traced circles over the water’s surface, watching the ripples swell up and subside. “Feels like it’s only there to mock you.”

Chloe’s reply elicited a chuckle from Max. It was far from a bellowing laugh or even a sign of betterment, yet even the slightest trace of diversion was met by relief, and embraced by Chloe. Careful not to startle her, she decided to take advantage, to sate part of her curiosity. “About Kate…” she said. “Do you plan on staying with her afterward? Or are we heading home immediately?” 

Max shrugged, her head lowered. Mumbled words followed, almost indiscernible. “I don’t know. I actually haven’t thought about it.” One by one, she began to twist her bracelets around her wrist. “Kate said it would only take half an hour, at most. We don’t need to stay after that, if you don’t want to.”

“Do _you_ want to stay?” Chloe asked, scooting closer, and drying off her hands on her pants. “Because it’s isn’t about me.”

“No, Chloe. I don’t.” Max’s continued fidgeting failed to go by unnoticed, as did the traces of frustration in her tone. Chloe reached for her, stilling Max’s restless hand by twining their fingers together. As if alarmed by the sudden touch, Max’s eyes shot toward her. “What?”

“Geeze, Max… It’s okay. It’s nothing.” Chloe said, cautiously pulling Max’s hand into her lap. “Just look… I know you might not wanna talk about it… But whatever you see or hear in there, it’s not your fault, you understand? And if at any point you want to leave, you let me know, okay?” She stared at where their fingers were woven together, gently flexing them. “I’ll come up with some excuse for us to leave, and then we’ll be back home in no time. I promise.”

Max looked away again. Both her posture, and her facial features seemed to have sagged even further. “Chloe… I appreciate it. But you’re right. I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“Sorry…” A bitter smile crept over Chloe’s lips, her own voice going quiet. “I didn’t mean to-”

“No Chloe… Just listen.” Not only did Max’s eyes shift back to Chloe, but also her entire body. Her knees touched Chloe’s, and she laced their other hands together. It was not a gentle grip, but rather a firm and stern one. In this moment she did not care for the group of students striding past, nor for their leering looks. There was only Chloe, to whom she struggled to offer even a shadow of a smile. “I know you mean well, but all that stuff is already in my head, and just for these few minutes I’d love to not think or talk about it.” Her expression darkened, her smile waning. “So for once, can you please drop it? Just for a few minutes?”

The words stung, but reluctantly Chloe nodded, doing so not out of acceptance, but for fear of further sparking Max’s lasting annoyance. “Yeah…Sorry,” she said. “Consider it dropped…”

“Thanks.” Without delay, Max let go of Chloe’s hands, and with equal haste, she returned to her earlier position, staring at the dormitories. “And anyway… I think it’s best we go look for Kate.”

“No, I don’t think that’s necessary.” Chloe muttered, nodding toward the street. “There she comes.”

Kate was indeed approaching, all but running as she scaled the stairs to the campus. Dressed in black, her attire stood in stark contrast to not only the normal clothes Max and Chloe had chosen to wear, but also most of the other students they had seen up until this point. A formal blouse and matching jacket flowed over into one of her trademark skirts, but it was something else which caught Max’s eyes. Where in weeks past she had come to expect a golden cross, she was surprised by a complete absence of jewelry. As the distance between them dwindled, it became apparent that the necklace was neither hidden away, nor tucked behind her clothes, but that Kate was in fact not wearing it.

“Max!” she exclaimed. Her cheeks were flushed with color, and she was panting, seemingly having run for a prolonged time. “I hope I didn’t make you wait for too long.”

“No, it’s all right,” Max replied as she pushed herself up to greet her. As soon as she got to her feet, Kate suctioned her into a hug. A quiet gasp escaped her, and her eyes went wide, surprise for a moment pushing away the anxiety weighing on her soul. “We uh… We’ve actually only been here for like five minutes.” 

“Oh. Okay.”

The hug lasted longer than Max was comfortable with, but as had been the case so often these past days, she donned a veil, masking her true emotions. Instead of pulling away, she hid behind a fake smile. 

“Still, I’m sorry for making you wait.”

Max answered through gritted teeth. “Like I said... Don’t worry about it.”

Once the hug between the two girls came to an end, Chloe stood up as well. “Hey there. What’s up,” she said. What her tone lacked in enthusiasm, she hoped to compensate with a smile, and by extending her hand. Admittedly, her interest in Kate was minimal, however it was far surpassed by her desire to calm the brewing storm between her and Max. Establishing a good relationship with one of Max’s only friends, she figured, was a good way to accomplish her goal. “I’m Chloe. Last time we didn’t really have a chance to meet.”

It seemed as if Chloe’s lack of interest was matched by Kate’s insecurity. “N-no, that’s right.” With obvious shyness she shook Chloe’s hand, her grip weak, and so faint it barely registered. “Kate. It’s… It’s nice to meet you.”

“Yeah.” Chloe nodded. “Likewise.”

Blushing a little, Kate was quick to let go of Chloe’s hand. Still, she flashed her a timid smile, but just as promptly she changed the topic. “So, Max,” she said, “how are you doing?” She sat on the very edge of the fountain, smoothing down her skirt, and crossing her legs. “I missed you. It’s been too long since we last saw each other.”

“Yeah… It has.” Thankful for the phrasing, Max decided to take advantage of the lifeline given to her, to avoid further questions into her state of mind. Next to her, Chloe had sat down again, and so she found herself wedged between the two girls. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer sooner yesterday. I’ve been living with Chloe for the past week, and… Well we’ve had a… a busy day.”

“Oh.” Kate’s eyes darted toward Chloe. “And here I kept knocking on your door.” She laughed lightly. “That explains a lot. I must admit, for a moment I feared you were ignoring me.”

It was not a conscious decision, and not even one she remembered taking, but in the meantime, Max had begun fiddling with her bracelets once more. “N-no,” she said, struggling to keep steady eye-contact. “You know I would never do that.”

“I do know that, Max.” Kate lay a hand over her heart, smiling. “Actually, I meant to thank you for coming today. It means a lot to me.”

“Yeah. No problem.” Max nodded, momentarily staring off into the distance. “Of course.”

Confused, Kate searched for what Max was looking at. “Anyway… I’m sorry for sending you all those messages,” she continued, her forehead furrowing at the absence of any visible reason for Max’s behavior. “I only read that e-mail yesterday, and I was afraid I had to go alone, that’s why I sent so many. I didn’t even know all those people died...” Her voice turned flat and monotone. “Especially Alyssa...”

Max swallowed hard, scraping a restless hand through her hair. “I… I’m sorry for your loss. I-”

“I’m sorry as well,” Chloe jumped in, interrupting her before she could say anything else. Her hand made its way to the small of Max’s back, successfully evading Kate’s eyes in the process. Relieved to find no averse reaction, she began to move it back and forth, trying to soothe Max’s nerves.

Kate frowned. “Thank you...” She seemed thoughtful, fiddling with one of the rings on her fingers. “I’m actually glad I could come. My parents didn’t want to let me at first. I think they would have liked to wrap me up in bubble wrap just to keep me safe or away from here...”

_“That’s why we think it is best for you to be far away from that place.”_

“What?” Max asked. Her head whipped toward Kate, her expression haunted and confused. “Parents?”

“Yes…” Kate’s look of confusion turned into concern, though the sentiment remained. “Max? What’s happening? Are you all right? Is there-” Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught Chloe shooting her a glare. She was motioning her to keep quiet, putting a finger to her lips. 

_“Don’t,”_ Chloe mouthed. _“Shut. Up.”_

Kate fell into a sudden and awkward silence. While taken aback, and struck by even more confusion, she thought it best to follow the advice given to her. As expected however, their exchange did not remain unseen. Max eyed both of them, yet in spite of her persisting annoyance and anxiety, she could not help but feel thankful for Chloe’s intervention, and apologetic in the face of Kate’s intentions.

Sighing heavily, she decided to put Kate’s mind at ease, and her own out of the spotlight. “Kate, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come across like… like this,” she said, motioning at herself. “But I’m all right. So please don’t worry about me, okay? It’s just a bit of a headache, that’s all.” Yet again she hid behind a smile, but to emphasize her words she placed a hand on Kate’s forearm, lightly squeezing. “And like I said, it’s really nice to see you again. I really mean that.”

The words had their desired effect, especially in conjunction with Chloe’s continued glares. “Oh... Then take it easy, please,” Kate replied.

“I will,” Max assured her. It seemed as though she at last had managed to rid herself of the questions she had come to loathe so much. “Though that means that Chloe and I, we… We won’t stay after this.” As she spoke, she felt the touch of Chloe’s hand on her back grow firmer, in what she figured was an appreciative gesture. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“No… No. That’s all right.” Kate shifted uncomfortably, folding and unfolding her hands in her lap. “Though I wanted to ask you something later, and I don’t know if now is a good time.”

“No, go ahead. W-what is it?”

“Well…” Kate plucked at the sleeves of her jacket, pulling them over hands and immediately pushing them up again. “I was wondering if you would like to meet up for tea tomorrow. Like we’ve been saying we would.”

Instead of answering, Max’s first reaction was to turn toward Chloe, and it did not help in quelling Kate’s confusion. Her look was quizzical and wide-eyed, as was Max’s. “Uhm… we don’t have anything planned for tomorrow, right?”

“No,” Chloe stated, her tone firm, her head shaking. Even one word was enough to convey her opinion on the matter. However, it seemed as if Max failed to understand.

“Then s-sure. Sure. I’d love to,” she said, looking back at Kate. Traces of a smile built on her face. “When were you-”

Blackwell’s school bells brought a sudden halt to her train of thought. In the midst of their conversation, neither of the girls had paid attention to the time, nor to the ever shrinking amount of people heading to the gymnasium. With the realization that the memorial service was mere minutes away, Max’s heart sank, while her face went blank. Without a means of escape, she closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on the cold breeze that hit her skin, and tousled her hair. For a brief moment she managed to calm her nerves.

“Max?”

Her eyes snapped back open. Kate stood in front of her, clutching her hands. “Are you coming?”

Max nodded, but it was Chloe who answered. “Go ahead,” she told Kate, gesturing in no uncertain terms for her to leave. “We’ll be right behind you.” 

Too intimidated to say anything else, Kate agreed. “I… I will wait at the gym.”

Chloe herself had yet to get up, and once Kate had moved a safe distance away, she placed her hands on Max’s arms. “You’ll be fine, I promise,” she said, peering into her eyes. Her tone was gentle, and much calmer than it was seconds ago. “I’m here with you, and I’ll get you through this. But Max… If you want to leave, you tell me, and I’ll get us out. Please, don’t keep doing this… You hear me?”

Max’s mouth opened, but the words evaded her. Her throat was parched and aching, her shoulders heavy, and once more all she managed was a nod. Hope was a distant thought, lost behind a mountain of dread.

  


#### * * *

  


It was for the first time since her days in Seattle, that Max set foot in a gymnasium. Located behind the main campus, and hidden by scaffolding, it appeared to be the mark of shame amongst Blackwell’s infrastructure. Small and cramped were its insides, with sickly yellow lighting reflecting off the polished floor. Although being one she had not seen in years, Chloe was well-acquainted with the sight, and due to her knowledge, it was her who lead the group to the rows of red and grey bleachers. 

Keeping their heads down to avoid drawing attention, they claimed a series free seats at the very back, near the exit. Even though the turnout was average at best, they found themselves surrounded by a handful of unknown students. Max, and especially Chloe however, were satisfied with the isolation provided. Meanwhile, Kate was happy enough to be remain in Max’s presence, and away from prying eyes.

Too preoccupied to acknowledge the more familiar faces in attendance, Max’s already addled mind moved elsewhere. A small stage, and a speaker’s podium had been erected on the floor, in parts blocking the logos of the school mascot and name. Adorned with flowers, eight frames stood adjacent, four on either side. They both depicted pictures of the seven students and members of staff deceased in the storm, as well as one of Rachel. No matter where Max looked, their stares seemed to follow her, piercing into her soul, and judging her for the choices she had made. 

The reality of the situation became inescapable. Max had to tear away her eyes, the ground below her frantically bouncing feet the sole solace she could find. Air boiling and thick with the smell of floor wax and cleaning supplies entered her lungs, and with each breath she took, she huddled closer and closer to Chloe. Her fingers dug into her seat, her nails scraping and scratching against rough wood. 

As soon as she noticed Max’s behavior, Chloe scooted close, the inches between them melting away to nothing. Having chosen the spot with privacy in mind, she resumed her soothing touches. While gently rubbing her back, she reached to place her other hand on top of Max’s, pulling it off the seat, and into her lap. Max showed no signs of resistance, but also none of improvement.

Kate for her part seemed to be more collected, the only indication of lingering unrest the fact that she kept reaching for the necklace she was not wearing. Curious, she for a moment eyed the display of linked hands at her side, before quietly returning to her own thoughts. 

Given their late arrival, the wait for the service to begin was a short one. Not before long, Principal Wells rose in the first row. First, he shook the hands of several teachers and attendees, before at last making his way to the podium. He carried a handful of notes, and as he slowly climbed the steps up to the stage, the buzzing murmurs filling the room subsided. They were soon replaced by the feedback of a wrongly adjusted microphone, the sound deafening not only to Max’s ears. She winced, squeezing Chloe’s hand hard.

“My apologies,” he said, setting down his notes in front of him. The technical difficulties proved to be harmless, and after clearing his throat, he began his speech. “Dear Students, dear Blackwell Academy.” He glanced over the crowd, putting his hands firmly on the podium. “Standing here is a very humbling experience, but it is with pride that I greet you today. Pride stemming from the fact that I see many of you in attendance, in spite of the hardships endured. None of you came to this school prepared for what happened, and I know that more than one of you would prefer to make use of the free time you so currently have, to grief on your own terms. However, I think all of us here can agree, that it is the both the right time, and the right choice, to honor our esteemed friends, and colleagues.”

His speech moved forward, to the people in question, highlighting the names of the deceased. With each person listed, the hem of Max’s shirt seemed to tighten. She kept pulling and tugging, but no matter how desperate her attempts, it felt as if a noose constricted her throat. A thin sheen of sweat broke out of her pores, clinging to her forehead.

_“You knew I would die taking that picture, Max. You knew, and you chose to let it happen.”_

She spun around, looking to her right, then to her left. There was nothing, and what happened down on the court had been reduced to nothing but a haze. Her eyes went dull, her jaw slack. A sharp sensation surged through her limbs, her skin pricked by hundreds of pins and needles. Despite the beads of sweat, she began to shiver. With hands clammy, she reached out to hold onto Chloe’s arm, her grip so strong it threatened to snap the tendons in her wrist.

Fighting through Max’s painful grasp, Chloe leaned in close. She had witnessed the previous moments, and was determined to end the ordeal Max was so clearly in. “Max,” she whispered. “Do you want to go?” Each and every word she spoke was tinged with worry, her voice heavy with fear.

Much to her frustration, Max’s answer was to shake her head. She motioned toward Kate, who, sitting next to her with eyes closed, was silently reciting what was obviously a prayer. 

“Don’t worry about her,” Chloe continued. “She’ll be fine without us.”

_“You kept warning me of every little thing, but then you let me die on that building.”_

Again Max squirmed in her seat, and again there was nothing. Chloe’s words eluded her, as did the events on the stage. The color drained out of her face, and she began rock in place. Her gaze darted back and forth over what seemed to be every person in the room, and just as quickly as she had seized Chloe’s arm, she let go again, wiping the sweat of her brow.

“Max?”

She did not hear, and she did not listen. The words echoed from far away.

“Max!”

Her breaths were short and shallow. 

Her heart pounded in her chest.

Her stomach churned.

Her knees shook.

Her-

_“Max, are you okay? Max, I don’t know what I’d do without you. Max, are you there? Max, I don’t know why I’m piling all of this onto you. Max, what the hell is going on with you? Max, is everything… Max, what’s…. Max… Max… Max…”_

“Max!”

_“Arcadia Bay is not a place you should be at right now. We’ve sent you tickets, and as your father said, this time it’s not up for discussion. We only want what’s best for you.”_

The world spun, and her mind turned blank, her vision blurry. There was no escape, no way out. Terror and dread were all there was, and trapped and alone, the ceiling threatened to come crushing down onto her. 

She felt as if at any moment she could die.

Chloe had seen enough. She pulled on Max’s hand, vying for her attention. “Come on,” she whispered, ready to leave. “Let’s go home. You look-” She was not given the chance to finish her sentence. Before she could react, Max struggled upward. Clutching her stomach, she stumbled past Chloe, and a group of students to their right. She even roused Kate in the process, almost tripping over her feet. She bolted for the exit, swaying and tumbling, and with the same urgency she clawed at the door, wrenching it open to disappear into the dark hallway. 

The turmoil had garnered more than a few curious looks, and low murmur rushed through the crowd. Principal Wells locked eyes onto Chloe, for a moment interrupting his speech. Chloe however could not have cared any less. Full of concern, she leaned over to an equally shocked Kate. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Stay here.” 

Not wasting any time with further niceties, she too lurched up to shove past the same group of students. More forceful in her approach, she earned herself a series of pointed glares and insults, but the disapproval of Blackwell’s student body was the last thing on her mind. She raced to the door, and once she arrived in the hallway, it was just in time to catch a glimpse of Max entering the women’s bathroom.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” she muttered under her breath as she rushed down the length of the corridor. The bathroom was located at the far end, and its door proved to be nothing but a minor inconvenience. Using all her strength she slammed it open, applying enough force to crack a tile as it crashed against the wall. Inside, the scene presenting itself was an ugly one.

Max lay crumpled on the cold floor, kneeling, and heaving into one of the toilets. With fingers coiled around the seat, she held on for dear life. Her head felt like it was about to explode, her throat like was about to combust, and over and over she heaved and coughed. The world continued to spin, shadows drifting in and out of her vision, the air foreign and foul. 

Chloe dropped to her knees, and with one hand she gathered Max’s hair, keeping it out her face, while the other found its way to her back. “I’m here,” she said, purpose, but also love behind her words. “I’ve got you. I’ll keep you safe.” She rubbed Max’s back, feeling her breathing calm down more and more with each stroke of her hand. “There you go, that’s better. I’ve got you.”

It was only after many minutes that Max came to her senses. The dizziness faded, the nausea retreated, and the veil draped over her mind dissolved. Nevertheless, what remained was exhaustion and hurt. Panting heavily, she reached up to flush. Fresh water flooded into the bowl, her reflection rippling in a vague and barely there mirror. 

For a moment, she did not recognize the girl staring back at her. 

Every trace of color had left her face. Sweat clung to her hair, and glistened on her forehead. Overhead, a sickly cold fluorescent light flickered, the room lifeless and pallid. It was a ghost wearing her skin she saw, enslaved by fear, beaten by anguish and attrition. She wanted to scream in agony until her lungs burst. She wanted to pound her fists into the closest wall until they were raw and bloodied. She wanted to leave the world behind and never look back. But she could not. 

She felt empty. She felt drained.

Lonesome tears rolled down her cheeks, dripping into the water below. What little strength remained was enough to let her slip away, and slump against the stall. She drew her shaking legs close to her body, wrapping herself in a hug. With eyes closed, and her head nestled upon her knees, she made herself as small as possible. “C-Chloe?” she said, with a voice to tiny and muted that a dripping faucet drowned it out. “Can you please get me something to drink?”

Chloe’s gaze shifted to the door, and back to Max. The thought of leaving her alone in this state, even for only a few minutes, pained her to her very core. The pain was however far outweighed by the relief she felt hearing her voice, and what seemed like the first fully coherent sentence in hours. “Of course,” she replied. “Stay here, don’t move. I’ll be right back.” After placing a tender kiss on Max’s head, she scrambled up, and darted for the door.

In what she was sure was a record time, Chloe hurried to the nearest vending machine. The hallway was dark, the sole source of light right in front of her eyes. With trembling hands she inserted whatever coins she managed to scrounge up from her pockets, not caring for the fact that several slipped out of her grasp, and clattered to the ground. While repeatedly hammering the button, she anxiously waited for the machine to spew out a bottle of water. Beyond the door to the gymnasium, the service moved on, the voice of a new speaker breaching into the hallway. Loose change fell into the designated compartment, but Chloe was already on her way back.

Meanwhile, Max had not moved an inch, and the scene in the bathroom remained unchanged. While hastily unscrewing the bottle cap, and with no room for grace, Chloe once more slumped down next to her. “Here,” she said, tipping the bottle to Max’s lips. “Drink up.”

Max did not need to be told twice. Gulp after gulp she swallowed, close to emptying the entire bottle in one fell swoop. The water quenched her searing thirst, and calmed the unsettling churning of her stomach. It was the best thing she ever tasted. When at long last her lips left the bottle, her head fell against the flimsy stall. She sucked in a deep breath, then another one. Fresh air surged through her lungs in what felt like the first time in ages. Little by little a slight rosy color returned to her cheeks, but so did the tears. They ran down her face in unbroken streams, little droplets splashing onto the tiled floor.

A saddened smile pulled at Chloe’s lips, an ache in her heart. She set the empty bottle aside, pushing it away as she sat down next to Max. With consummate tenderness she reached over to her, wrapping one arm around her shoulder, the other around her midriff. Max’s already lithe form seemed smaller in her presence, reduced to a little heap of woe. She offered no resistance as Chloe pulled her close, and instead nestled deep into the crook of her neck. Her tears flowed through quiet sobs, and together they sat on a cold bathroom floor, sharing an embrace under flickering lights, and next to dripping faucets.

“I’m so sorry Chloe.”

The words cut through minutes of silence.

“You were right.” Max lifted her head, gazing up at Chloe through puffy, tear-soaked eyes. Her fingers curled around Chloe’s arm, her grip much weaker than before. “At the junkyard… This morning… I keep hoping that if I just push through everything, or ignore it… that… that it would all just go away. But it doesn’t…” She coughed, her voice breaking amongst her sobs. “And I’m tired, and it feels like it’s all chipping away at me piece by piece. Like some never ending nightmare. I… I’m messed up Chloe, I’m so messed up… I…” Again she coughed. “I feel like I’m going crazy.”

Feeling her body shiver, Chloe drew her closer. “You’re not messed up and you’re not going crazy,” she replied. “But why didn’t you tell me? Why all the lies?” She could not hide her disappointment, nor the traces of hurt in her voice. With the same sad smile she looked at Max, lightly shaking her head. “And I don’t want to make it about me, but you’re not making it any easier. I only want to help you, and I understand that you don’t want to talk about certain things… But if you keep lying to me like that then… Then I can’t.” She cupped Max’s face. Her skin was cold to the touch. “I want to help you, I really, really do Max. But you keep telling me everything is fine when I’m around, but it’s not. Every time something comes up, like today… then you are just a bundle of nerves, and you are too stubborn to admit it. Honestly, seeing you like this… I wonder how you managed to get me through the funeral yesterday.”

Max titled her head to the side, leaning into Chloe’s touch. After crying countless tears, she at long last wore a faint smile again. “Because you needed me.”

The answer was simple. The simplicity heartwarming. Chloe rested her forehead against Max’s temple, her warm breath tickling the skin on her cheek. “No more hiding the truth. No more lies,” she said. Her tone was significantly more determined than Max had anticipated. It was clear that despite her adoration, she was fighting the frustration which had arisen alongside Max’s behavior. “I get you don’t want to talk, but acting as if everything is okay? That’s gotta stop Max, or I don’t know how to help you. And I don’t want to lose you to something like that.”

“Chloe… I… I just didn’t want to hurt you, I don’t want-”

“No Max,” Chloe interrupted. As she shot Max a harsh stare, her contempt for the situation was on full display. “No more lies, no more half-truths, no ifs and no buts… Just the truth.”

Exhaustion drew Max’s expression down. She willed a smile, but her lips remained locked, even as the corners of her mouth turned up. She knew Chloe’s demand was justified. She knew her own approach had failed. “It’s been a week since the storm,” she said, wistful. “But it feels like years. I’m not sleeping well, and you’re right when you say I’m afraid, you’re right when you say I’ve been pushing myself to much… You’re right, Chloe. With everything.” As she spoke, Chloe slouched back against the stall. Given the opportunity, Max was quick to nuzzle into her shoulder, her thoughts wandering to the fateful call she had had but a couple of hours earlier. “I never want to lose you again Chloe, but I feel like… like I don’t have the strength to fight anymore…”

Chloe frowned, chewing and biting her bottom lip. “That call… Your parents…” her heart began to race in anticipation, and fear. As soon as the words had left her mouth, she wanted to retract them.

“Chloe…” Max felt the onslaught of fresh tears and resurging sickness. As if to hide from what she about to say, she burrowed deeper and deeper into the warmth of Chloe’s shoulder. “They… They want me to move back home… They want me away from here… From you… And they don’t listen to me, and I think I only made things worse…” 

Chloe’s heart sank into her boots. Her worst fears, her worst nightmares manifesting themselves in the blink of an eye. Acting on impulse, she tightened the embrace she had Max secured in. “N-no, no, no… no. It can’t… It can’t be,” she stammered, shaking her head with ever increasing violence. “They can’t be serious right? Please tell me… Please….” All of a sudden she jerked away, gripping Max’s shoulders hard. “Please don’t leave me Max. Please.”

While squirming under Chloe’s hold, Max shifted and sat up on her knees. She yanked Chloe’s hands off her shoulders, grasping them firmly within her own. The world around them ceased to exist, the fact that they were still hunkered down in a dingy bathroom, not worth the slightest afterthought. 

There was only Chloe. 

There was only Max. 

“I won’t go,” Max said. Chloe needed her, and so a gleaming spark lit up in her eyes, her resolve unquestionable. “I promise. I won’t. I’ll never leave you. They’ll never take me away again.” She shuffled closer, their knees touching as Chloe followed her motions. The words spilled out of her at a pace so fast she just about swallowed them whole. “That’s why I didn’t wanna tell you. I didn’t want to hurt you like this. I knew it would feel awful, and I got so angry because I don’t even want to think about losing you. And I’m so sorry for getting angry at _you_. I just wanted to keep you safe.”

A low sigh escaped Chloe, her voice turning quiet, yet at the same time sharp as a knife. “They can’t do this Max… They can’t… I don’t ever want to feel like that again. And I promise I won’t let them take you away. I promise.” 

“I’m not gonna let them,” Max replied. “I won’t. I’ll destroy the tickets they sent me. I’ll burn them if I have to. I promise, I will not go back. Not without you. Not ever.”

The initial shock was still lodged in her bones, a spear in her heart, but slowly Chloe calmed down. “Why?” she asked, shaking her head. “Why would they do this?”

Max shrugged, half-heartedly. Even though she appeared strong, there was barely any fight in her left, and she grew more tired by the minute. “You overheard our conversation last week… They heard about everything. The storm… J-Jefferson…” Upon saying the name she had to swallow. “Rachel... And… And I haven’t told them about us and they just… didn’t listen.”

“Fuck…” Chloe let herself fall backward, yet again slouching against the stall. She craned her neck, staring up at the ceiling. “I wonder what we did wrong. Why does the fucking universe keep insisting on ruining our lives…”

The question brought forth a hollowness in Max’s chest. “I don’t know…” she muttered. “I just…” Groaning, she pushed herself up, supporting her buckling legs by holding onto the toilet. “Like is said, I don’t know if I have the strength to fight anymore…” With slow steps she shuffled to one of the sinks.

“Hey…” Chloe’s eyes followed her. “Don’t say that. You just showed me you have. And we’ll keep kicking its ass until it gives up. And then we can live our lives, together.”

For a moment Max fell silent. Her fingers gripped the sink, her head lowered. “You know for just one day I’d love to leave all this shit behind… Just one day away from here, away from all this bullshit and this pain…” She turned on the faucet, splashing water on her face. “Just us, together. Fucking hell, it doesn’t even need to be far…”

Chloe looked thoughtful. “Why don’t we just do that?” 

“Leave?”

“Yes!” Chloe jumped up. As she did, her reflection appeared in the mirror in front of Max. “We could get in the truck and just drive and see where we end up.” Hopefulness lit up her face, a bright smile curving up her lips. “Like you said, one day! What’s stopping us?”

The outlook of a better day was enough to invigorate Max, if only for a little. “You’re right…” she said, looking at Chloe’s reflection before she turned around. “Nothing is stopping us.”

“Exactly!” Full of excitement, Chloe grabbed Max’s hands, lacing their fingers together. “We can leave everything behind, even if it’s just for one day.” Adrenaline rushed through her body, a sudden and pleasurable lightness washing over her. “We’ll get up first thing tomorrow morning, we get in the truck, we drive, and we don’t come back until it’s dark.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes!”

“But…” 

Immediately Chloe’s smile wavered. “But what?”

“Well…” Max grew bashful. She forced herself to look up into Chloe’s face, even though her eyes strained to turn elsewhere. “You heard earlier. I promised Kate I’d visit her tomorrow. We’ve been wanting to meet up for weeks now. And after today… I feel like I owe her that.”

Chloe was quick to retort. “You don’t owe anyone anything. And do you really want to go? After what just happened?”

“I know what you’re thinking,” Max said, taking a step forward. “And I understand… But I actually really want to go. Not like today. And I think that… that maybe it will do me some good? Spending time with a friend…”

Chloe pressed her lips together in what was half grimace, half smile. “And people tell me I’m stubborn…”

“You are stubborn.”

“Oh screw you.” Chloe chuckled. For a long couple of seconds she stayed silent, simply gazing and smiling at Max. When at last she spoke, she too took a step forward. The only thing separating them now was a thin sheet of air. “Look… I don’t want to see you like that ever again. And I’d be lying if I said that going is good idea. But if you think you’ll be fine… _Really_ think you’ll be fine, then I won’t stop you. Just…” She lowered her forehead to Max’s. “ _Don’t_ push yourself.”

“I promise.” Max rose to her tiptoes, and pressed her lips to Chloe’s. The kiss was sweet, the kiss was tender. “And I promise if I don’t feel like going tomorrow... Then I won’t. I’ll stay with you,” she said as their lips parted. “And I promise I will call if _anything_ makes me feel uneasy.”

“Good,” Chloe whispered. “Because I don’t want you to puke all over Kate.”

“Eww!” Max’s face contorted in disgust, and she aimed a playful punch at Chloe’s shoulder. “Why would you say that?”

“Because you are smiling again.” Chloe pulled her into a sudden embrace, fighting back tears. “And that’s all I wanna see.”

  


#### * * *

  


An hour had passed since Max’s breakdown. It was an hour of dread, but also one of hope. Upon Chloe’s insistence, they had withdrawn from the bathroom to evade the closing moments of the memorial service, and the following stream of people. It was the very same insistence which had lead them across campus, and to Max’s room. Once they found themselves back in the privacy of Max’s bed, light conversation followed, both Chloe and Max skirting around uneasy topics. Despite the hope they had regained in light of their most recent plans, shock continued to course through their veins, and the exhaustion Max suffered from, had yet to diminish. It was therefore no surprise to either of them when her eyelids grew heavy, and sleep overtook her.

After not moving for many minutes to make sure her girlfriend was well and truly asleep, Chloe slipped out of bed. She drew the covers over Max’s peaceful form, placing a kiss on her forehead once she was tucked in. She smiled with love and admiration, and while careful to avoid making even the faintest of sounds, she backed out of the room. It was not until she found herself back in the hallway, and in front of a closed door, that she took her eyes off Max.

“H-hi… How is she doing?”

The sudden voice, and unexpected presence of another person caused Chloe’s heart to skip a beat. “Fuck!” she shrieked, her hand flying to her chest, her fingers clutching her necklace. She spun around, and was greeted by the timid smile of Kate Marsh. “Fucking hell…” She shot her another one of those glares the girl had already grown accustomed to, though in this case it was a compulsory reaction. “Don’t fuckin’ creep up on people like that…”

“I’m sorry…” Kate stood on the opposite side of the hallway, fiddling with the cuff of her blouse. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just waiting here… You didn’t return, and Max’s phone was not working. I was worried.” 

“Oh….” Chloe threw a glance at the door, hoping the noise had not woken Max. To her relief, everything seemed to be in order, and so she brought her full attention to Kate. “I’m sorry for leaving you like that. She uh… she needed me.”

“That’s all right.” Kate took a first tentative step toward her. Whether her shyness was rooted in nervousness, or the less than stellar experience she had shared with Chloe, the latter could not tell. “That was not just a headache right?” Kate asked. “That was more… Will she be okay?"

Chloe nodded, sliding her hands into her pockets. “Yeah.”

“Yeah what?” 

“Both,” Chloe replied. She was surprised by the question, even slightly taken aback, and decided to elaborate. “She… she’ll be okay. I stayed with her until she was better, and then I brought her here. And then I waited for her to fall asleep. I promise it’ll do her good. As for the rest… That’s not my place to tell you.”

“I understand.” Kate stepped up to Max’s slate. It was blank, and under the curious and critical gaze of Chloe, she began to draw. “I’m glad you were there for her,” she said. “If anyone deserves a friend such as you, it’s her.”

Soon Kate’s drawing began to take shape, and Chloe began to recognize what it was supposed to depict. “Is that me?” she asked, her tone incredulous. Frowning, she peered over Kate’s shoulder to take a closer look. “With… wings?”

“Even angels need angels.”

“Huh?”

Between her doodling, Kate looked up, offering Chloe a smile. “It’s something I told Max. She’ll understand.” She signed the drawing with the phrase _Get well soon_ , as well as her name, then handed Chloe the pen. “Here. Sign it. I think it’ll make her happy.”

At first Chloe was slightly apprehensive of Kate’s art, but nevertheless she took the pen, and signed her name. It was in that moment she came to realize that she was not alone in her worries, and the enormous impact Max had made on Kate’s life. “Hey,” she said as she placed the pen back down. “I was gonna get some fresh air. You wanna tag along?” 

To her surprise, Kate agreed. “Yes,” she said. “I think I need some as well.”

And so the unlikely duo stepped outside. They did not talk, as they neither knew what to talk about, nor really how to talk to one another. As soon as the fresh air hit their faces, Chloe pulled out a cigarette and her lighter. Under the wary eyes of Kate she sat down on the steps, taking a first desperate drag. 

“I don’t think they like it very much if you smoke here,” Kate spoke up, glancing around as if to make sure they were not being watched.

“I know,” Chloe replied, blowing a plume of smoke into the air. “But relax, you’ll be fine. As for me…” She took another drag, grinning. “They can’t expel me a second time.” 

Kate’s focus switched back to Chloe. Her interest seemed piqued. “You went to school here?”

“Yeah. Few years back. Always hated this place.” She shook her head, tapping the cigarette with her finger to flick off some of the ash. “Still do actually.”

Somehow, the knowledge of Chloe having a past, and close experience with Blackwell, was enough to cause Kate to rid herself of her remaining reservations. She too sat down, knees pointing toward Chloe. “I… I think I owe you an apology.” 

Chloe frowned in confusion, the cigarette dangling from her lips. “For what?”

“Well… I know it is wrong, but when I first saw you… I… I think judged you. Wrongly,” Kate explained. “It’s no excuse, but I haven’t had the best experience with people lately, and I think it made it hard to trust you. But when I saw how much you care about Max, I realized I was wrong. You’re nothing like all the others. So I’m sorry. For judging you like that.”

A few seconds were needed for Kate’s apology to sink in, during which the girl anxiously kept eye contact. Once it did, a slow smile took hold of Chloe’s face. “Apology accepted. And I guess I owe you one as well. I uh… Honestly, I thought you were just some boring church girl.” She could not help but cringe a little, her teeth clenching together. “And I also didn’t mean to get angry at you earlier. I was just…”

“Protecting Max,” Kate said, finishing Chloe’s sentence.

“Yeah.” Chloe sighed. Slowly she let another plume of smoke escape her lungs, while watching how the wind carried it away. “I guess we just got off on the wrong foot huh?”

Kate nodded in agreement. After a short instant of hesitation, she perked up, shuffling a little closer. “Maybe we should try again,” she said, extending her hand toward Chloe. “Hi. I’m Kate.”

Chloe chuckled, blowing some air out of her nose. She took her cigarette, and flung it to the ground, stomping it out with the tip of her boots. “What’s up,” she replied, grabbing Kate’s hand. This time the grip was firm, almost strong on both sides. “Chloe Price. It’s nice to meet you.”


	19. Leaps of Faith…

For the first time in more than a week, Max was on her own. Separated from Chloe by space, but not by time and thought, she found herself enveloped by a strange feeling. One she had come to be unfamiliar with, one amplified by the barrenness of the girl’s dormitories. The hallway, the rooms adjacent, even the building itself, everything felt foreign, as if she were trespassing in a place she did not belong, as if her true home was somewhere else, somewhere by Chloe’s side.

And yet she was smiling, and it was more pep in her step than had become the norm that she skipped toward Kate’s room. While the events of the previous day were far from forgotten, lingering in the back of her mind like black fog, she had found an anchor, a way to tether her thoughts to a brighter place. _Our first date_ was what Chloe had come to call said anchor, and as the hours till the next sunrise dwindled, Max more and more grew excited for the memories they were about to make. 

As she neared Kate’s room, she was greeted by another reason to smile. Though muffled by walls and doors, the long missed sounds of Kate playing the violin breached into the hallway. Careful not to alert her to her presence just yet, Max leaned against the door, listening. What she heard was a tune quite different than the calm classical ones Kate usually used to play, more energetic and rhythmic, but not any less skilled in its execution. 

It did not take long for the music to come to an end, a flourishing crescendo marking its completion. Once it did, Max straightened up, and while adjusting the strap of her bag to ease the pressure on her shoulder, she at last knocked on the door.

Inside some shuffling and rustling followed, and after a few seconds the door opened but a gap wide, the hazel eyes of a surprised looking Kate peering through. “Oh!” she exclaimed in a high-pitched squeal. “Hey Max. You’re uh… early.”

“Hi… Yeah, I’m sorry,” Max replied, rubbing the base of her neck. Suddenly she questioned her decision to arrive before the agreed upon time. “I hope I didn’t interrupt you?”

“No, no, of course not! It’s okay.” Kate opened the door the rest of the way. Before stepping aside, she leaned out to glance up and down the empty hallway. A slow smile built across her face, and as the initial surprise waned, she motioned for Max to enter. “Come in, come in,” she said. Her tone was warm and jovial, yet all the same she seemed to act more careful than the day before, with even her movements betraying traces of uncertainty.

Max could not blame her, and in fact she had anticipated such a reaction, after all, her own behavior had been the catalyst for many awkward moments and questions. However she had hatched a plan, a way to reassure her, and she knew what to do. 

“Kate, you don’t know how happy I am to see you today,” she said, and instead of entering Kate’s room, she lurched forward, pulling the unsuspecting girl into a tight hug. She heard a not so quiet gasp, but she did not let go, and soon she felt Kate’s hands on her back, returning the hug. For Max it was more than a simple reversal of their roles from the previous day, but rather a way to convey her gratitude for the understanding Kate had displayed.

And indeed, her plan had the desired effect. What at first was a tentative smile, grew and grew, until Kate was beaming with joy. “Me too!” she said, her voice managing to liven up even further. “And I am so glad to see you feeling better!”

“I am!” Max was slow to pull away, and again she did not let go for good. Her own smile widened in tandem with Kate’s, and she offered her an imploring stare. “And I am so sorry for yesterday. I really didn’t mean to bail on you like that.”

“Please, don’t worry about it,” Kate replied. “You were sick, that’s nothing to apologize for. If anything I should be thanking you for coming at all.”

“Don’t,” Max said as she stepped inside, allowing Kate to close the door. Immediately her eyes darted from one corner of the room to another, and she could not help but appreciate the undeniable changes. No longer were the blinds drawn shut, no longer was the mirror covered out of shame and anguish, no longer was the ground littered with discarded laundry.

The room she entered was bright and clean, with rays of sun pouring through the open windows. A fine layer of dust danced in the air, swirling with each minuscule breeze. Kate’s desk was filled to the brim with rustling papers, which in turn were covered in countless drawings of various animals, many of which portrayed a white bunny with black ears. Her inspiration was happily dozing on the floor, enclosed by a fairly large, and in mint condition looking metal wire pen, and enough hay to last her the day.

Still smiling, Max brought her attention back to Kate. “After all,” she continued to express her earlier thought, “you’re my friend. And that’s what friends do.”

Even Kate seemed to shine a little brighter, the blonde of her hair matched by a yellow top, and accompanied by a pair of light-blue jeans. Again she was not wearing her necklace, and all in all it was decidedly less conservative look than the ones Max had come to associate her with. Lightly she chuckled, shuffling past Max to hurry to her sofa. “I do have to admit,” she said as began to tidy up, carefully lowering her violin into its case. “I was surprised when Chloe told me you’d come today. I really thought you needed to get better first.” She shot a glance over her shoulder, flashing the tiniest of grins. “But I think she said something about you being really, really… swear word… stubborn.”

“Did she now?” Max teased. “I guess I’m gonna have to have a word with her.”

“You didn’t hear it from me.”

Max giggled, crouching down in front of Alice’s pen. “Promise I didn’t.” At some point during their conversation the bunny had sprung awake, now nibbling on a piece of hay. Its nose was twitching in the cutest of ways, and Max had to stifle a squeal. “May I pet her?” she asked with barely suppressed glee.

“Of course! Go ahead,” Kate replied. To make space on the sofa, she carried her violin case over to her bed. “I don’t speak bunny, but I’m sure she missed you.” 

“Aww. She’s so cute.” Max was careful not to spook her, and to her surprise Alice did not flinch away as she reached out to stroke her. Quite the opposite rang true. She hopped closer, sticking her nose through the bars. The feeling was seemingly mutual.

“See? She likes you.”

Max chuckled and cooed with delight as she scratched the bunny behind its ears. Only briefly she looked back up at Kate, smiling. “You know, Chloe actually told me you were surprised,” she said, bringing the conversation back on track. “But I really wanted to come. We’ve been wanting to do this for weeks now, and I felt like it was high time we got to it.”

“I agree, Max. I’ve been looking forward to this a lot.” Kate opened one of the drawers on her desk, retrieving what looked to be a small bag containing treats for Alice. “There’s been way too many bad days lately, and it is so nice to have a good one for a change. Even if it’s just one afternoon.”

_Our first date. Just us, together._

“You are _so_ right,” Max replied. Well aware that the discussion carried the potential to turn sour, her mind had turned to her anchor, to Chloe, and it proved successful. She simply continued to pet Alice, intent on not letting her darker thoughts creep into the fore. Next to her, Kate knelt down as well, handing her the bag of treats. “And can I just say…” she continued, her tone bubbly and light. “It’s so cool to hear that you and Chloe hung out. And I mean no offense, but it’s kinda surreal actually…”

Kate laughed. “Because we’re very differently people?”

“Yeah.” She reached into the bag, offering Alice something else to munch on. The bunny happily accepted. “Like I said, no offense.”

“None taken,” Kate replied. Although her demeanor spelt out happiness, her features nevertheless dropped. For a couple of seconds she fell silent, watching as Max fed her rabbit yet another treat. “I don’t know if Chloe told you, but I didn’t think very well of her at first… And I still feel bad for that. But then she was so nice to me…”

Max set aside the bag of treats, reaching out to instead place a hand on Kate’s forearm. “Hey… She did tell me,” she said. “And she felt bad for getting angry at you. So don’t worry about it, I know Chloe can be… fierce or scary if you don’t know her… But under that hard shell she’s the most…” She breathed an appreciative sigh, struggling to find the appropriate words, or rather, words appropriate for Kate to hear. Her expression was soft, her adoration neither ambiguous, nor hard to miss. “I guess… She’s probably one of the sweetest, most loving people you’ll ever meet.” 

“To be fair…” Kate perked up, her quirkiness making a return. “In hindsight I’d say she looks pretty cool. The tattoo, the hair…” The admission caused Max’s eyebrows to shoot up, and Kate elaborated. “I mean… I just wish I had her confidence, you know? That’s all I am saying.”

“Oh!” Max excitedly patted Kate’s arm. “But Kate Marsh with blue hair? Color me intrigued…”

“Oh, no, no, no…” Giggling, Kate waved her hands in front of her in a dismissive fashion, before motioning at her clothes. “This is the extent of my… experimentations. I think my parents would literally kill me otherwise.”

 _Five minutes._ Max was certain she had not been in Kate’s room for more than five minutes, but already the feeling of not belonging, the feeling of being alone, had dissipated. Something else had replaced it, another sensation which had grown unfamiliar in all too different sense, a sensation she, at this point in time, could not quite put her finger on. “Well, I’d say you’re doing pretty great,” she said. After feeding Alice a final treat, she wiped her hands on her pants. “And can I just say that…” She lowered her head, noticing a few of Alice’s hairs clinging to her clothes. One by one she plucked them off, continuing with a more somber tone. “I am so happy to hear how you and Chloe befriended each other… She… Chloe went through a lot in her life, she didn’t have it easy… And while she would never admit it…” She shook her head, pursing her lips. “She needs a good friend. She doesn’t have many.”

Kate’s forehead wrinkled in thought, and for a short instant she too looked away. However in this case it was her, who, after a bout of hesitation, reached out to Max. “I promise I’ll be her friend,” she said. “She’s awesome, so how couldn’t I be? She even gave me her phone number.”

“Really? That’s so cool!” Max exclaimed, pleasantly surprised. Without delay her smile returned, her eyes gleaming. The notion of Chloe at long last finding another friend warmed her heart, all while a pleasant and fluttery sensation spread in her belly. “Just don’t text her _too_ many emojis. She doesn’t like those.”

“I’ll remember that,” Kate replied, winking. Chuckling as she pushed herself up, she stretched, before scurrying over to the built-in cabinet on her wall. Outside, in one of the trees, surrounded by rustling leaves, a family of birds chirped, and for a series of seconds neither Max nor Kate felt the need to speak. While Kate retrieved an electric kettle, Max continued to both pet Alice, and immerse herself in her palpable giddiness, savoring the feeling.

Kate, while cleaning up her desk to make space, resumed their conversation. “I don’t mean to pry, so I’m sorry if I’m being nosey,” she said. “But how did you and Chloe get to know each other? You never mentioned her before.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’re not the first one the ask.” Max got up as well, removing her bag from her shoulder, to deposit it on the now freed-up sofa. “And I really don’t mind the question, but are you sure you only want to talk about Chloe?”

Kate shrugged, stacking the papers containing her drawings into a neat pile. “I’m just happy to have made a friend. And you seem… well…” She stopped tidying up, and while holding her drawings close to her chest, she turned around. Her facial expression betrayed traces of uncertainty, a slight grimace contorting her face. “Well… You seem really happy to talk about her.” 

Max could not see it, but she felt her ears turn red. “Is it that obvious?”

“You haven’t stopped smiling since I first mentioned her name.”

Although she had not consciously realized it, Max knew Kate spoke the truth. A visible flush spread across her cheeks, and as if to hide, she sat down on the sofa, where she began to rummage through her bag. She had no particular goal in mind, hoping only for the blush to cease. “Y-you got me,” she said. “I uh… I’ve known Chloe since we were little kids. You know how I told you how I used to live here in Arcadia before having to move?”

“Yeah,” Kate replied. Though she could not help but grin, she did not comment on the sudden onslaught of color on Max’s face. Granting her the chance to compose herself, and after having made space on her desk, Kate began to unscrew a bottle of water to fill up her kettle. “Seattle, right?”

“Right…” In the midst of her aimless search, Max found her phone. For reasons unknown to her she slumped against the backrest, and unlocked it. A picture of Chloe, sitting on the window sill in her room, smoking and framed by the golden afternoon sun became visible, as did two messages she had received. In that moment everything else became unimportant, and her smile grew to an almost impossible size.

_**Chloe:** hey dork. everything ok?_

_**Chloe:** I miss you_

Quickly Max wrote a reply, thankful for the distraction.

_**Max:** Kate says I’m smiling a lot! Miss you 2  <3_

“Max?”

Kate’s voice tore Max out her reverie. Her head shot up, her eyes meeting the gaze of a slightly confused, yet anticipation-filled Kate. “Oh yes. I’m sorry. It’s Chloe,” Max said, showing off the phone. As the words left her mouth, it buzzed once more, and once more she felt the need to look at what Chloe had written. “You know how they say…”

_**Chloe:** wanna see! need that proof!_

_**Max:** gimme a minute_

“Anyway…” Max laughed. “Like I said, Chloe and I, we’ve known each other since back in the day. We were always inseparable, starting from the very first day we met. But then I had to move away, and… let’s just say we lost touch for a while. And then when I came back, I didn’t really know how or what to say to her… But then we recently reconnected.” Her lips parted to reveal a toothy smile, her head shaking in the slightest of ways. “I have to admit, at first I barely recognized her… She used to have this long blonde hair you know, no blue color, no tattoos... But then we started hanging out again, and even though these past couple of weeks have been crazy, it all felt like… like we never were apart at all. It was so great.”

“That’s… sad, but in a way also really beautiful,” Kate replied, her tone kind and overflowing with warmth. “I’ve never had to go through something like that, but I know it would have been a shame to lose a childhood friend in such a way…” Rather than stand and wait for the water in her kettle to come to a boil, she joined Max on the couch. Again the joy with which Max had spoken about Chloe had not passed by unobserved, filling Kate with comparable cheer. “So I’m happy that everything worked out for you and Chloe. If what you’re saying is right, and that she really needed a friend, then you came back into her life at the right time.”

“Yeah, I guess it all worked out…” Max brushed off the unspoken implication behind Kate’s words. “You know, how about we send her a picture?” she suggested. “I get the feeling she would love it.”

“Sure! And at the same time we’ll have one of us to celebrate today.”

“Exactly!” 

Following Kate’s approval, Max opened her phone’s camera. Angling it in front of them in such a way to not only include Kate, but also Alice, she sought a well-composed shot. Given that the room was well lit, the picture she captured seconds later turned out beautifully, and up to her standards. She and Kate smiled in unison, the backdrop a bunny who seemed to have understood what was happening. Having sat up on her hind paws, Alice stared straight into the lens with her head slightly cocked, thus completing the photo.

“What do you think?” Max asked, showing Kate the shot. She herself was more than satisfied, and eager to read Chloe’s reaction.

“It’s awesome!” Kate replied. “Your pictures are always so good. I wish I had your talent.”

“Aww… Don’t say that. I’ve seen your pictures, they’re beautiful. And you’re so talented.” Max motioned at the desk, at the stack of papers, and at Kate’s violin case. “You’re great at drawing, you’re great at playing the violin, you’ve got great grades... I’m sure there’s nothing you can’t do. I wish I was _half_ as talented as you.”

A soft inner glow filled Kate’s eyes, and she placed her hand over her heart. “That’s…” She could not help but clasp Max’s forearm with her other hand, her voice filled with sudden emotion. It was obvious that, from Kate’s point of view, even such a simple statement carried a lot of weight and meaning. “That means a lot to me, Max. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Max replied. “I don’t know about you, but it’s just nice to hear something positive once in a while, you know?”

At first Kate’s smile was somewhat strained, but as if she willed it back to full force, it grew with renewed vigor. “You’re right,” she said. “It is nice.” Before she stood up again, she gave Max’s arm a gentle squeeze, nodding in appreciation. “But anyway… I’m sure Chloe is waiting for that picture.”

Max chuckled. “Better not keep her waiting, huh?”

“Yeah. And say hi to her from me, will you please?”

“Of course, will do.”

There was no tangible reason for her to do so, but as their exchange came to an end, Kate once more hurried over to her desk to check on her kettle. Maybe it was the renewed appearance of the barely there blush on Max’s cheeks, maybe a subtle approach to grant Max what little privacy was to be had, either way, the result remained the same. Not wasting any more time, Max used the opportunity to send Chloe the picture they had taken, and with the same eagerness she waited for Chloe’s response. A response which followed promptly.

_**Max:** See? Also Kate says hi!_

_**Chloe:** I’m so happy to see you smile! looking hella beautiful like that!!!_

_**Chloe:** way cuter than the bunny_

_**Chloe:** and yeah, say hey to Kate. had fun talking to her yesterday_

_**Max:** She did too! Also, the bunny is cute! Don’t hurt her feelings! :-(_

_**Chloe:** yeah, but not as cute as you_

_**Chloe:** cutie_

_**Chloe:** anyway, gotta bounce! have fun, I’m gonna get the truck rdy for tmrw!_

_**Max:** so excited, I can’t wait! Thank you for doing this! Love you so much  <3 <3 <3_

_**Chloe:** always. love you too.  <3_

_**Chloe:** can’t believe I just did that_

_**Chloe:** the emoji I mean. you’re a bad influence caulfield_

_**Max:** :-)_

As she was about to slip her phone back into her pocket, she received yet another message. Again it was from Chloe, though its contents had changed. This time it was a picture, Chloe sitting in what was clearly recognizable as her truck, parked in the driveway in front of her house. Her lips were pursed, blowing her a kiss. 

For several lengthy seconds Max stared at her phone, and the picture. It seemed impossible, yet she was sure her heart had swelled another size larger, her pulse racing. She was well aware of that fact that by all accounts her reaction was overwrought, though at the same time she could neither help it, nor care. Magnified by the circumstances of days past, every contact with Chloe, no matter how little or insignificant, meant the world to her, and it this case a simple picture marked yet another first for their relationship.

Filled with love, she for a split second felt the temptation to disregard Kate, and send Chloe a similar reply of her own. However, as if she had read Max’s mind, Kate cleared her throat. The sound was so dainty it scarcely registered among the chirping of birds, but it was enough to yet again reclaim Max’s attention.

“So…” Kate said. She had not moved, absentmindedly fumbling with one of the dials one her kettle. Her expression had both a shy, and at the same time an impish quality to it, a grin curving up her lips. “How did she like it?”

At last Max stashed her phone back into her bag, but not before throwing another glance at the picture Chloe had taken. “She loved it,” she said as she did. “And she was happy to hear from you. She says hi as well.” 

Judging by Kate’s reaction, Max was positive she was blushing stronger than ever. As had been the case with Kate a couple of minutes earlier, there was no reason for her to do what she did next, her hope solely to divert some of the attention her cheerful attitude had garnered. “I’m sorry if I’m acting weird again. Chloe and I we’re going on a road trip tomorrow,” she explained. “We’re both really excited because it’s our first… time we get to do something like that. That’s why I am so happy.”

“That does sound like fun,” Kate replied. “And don’t apologize. You and Chloe, you…” She took a couple of steps toward Max, now fiddling with one of the rings on her fingers. Her eyes kept steady contact with Max’s, only her voice wavered ever so slightly. “I hope I’m not overstepping, but you really seem to care a lot for each other. I saw it yesterday when I spoke to Chloe, and like I said… you are practically glowing today.”

“You’re right…” Max muttered her reply. “She… Chloe means a lot to me.”

In comparison to Kate’s, Max’s gaze was far less steadfast. It wandered over the room, over Kate’s clothes, and over the lack of necklace. She remembered Kate’s words from the previous Saturday, she remembered the music she heard and listened to before entering, she remembered Kate’s budding friendship with the most important person in her life. While she realized it was too early to make assumptions, she felt at ease, she felt something. Something which, despite the doubt and fear creeping into her mind, told her everything would turn out fine.

And so, she took a leap of faith.

Drawing in a deep breath, she sat up straight, her focus firmly settling back on Kate. Her muscles tightened with determination, a sense of purpose taking root. With no second thoughts she patted the space next to her, urging Kate to sit down. Even before the girl was able to comply, Max began to speak. “Kate, I’m going to tell you something about me and Chloe. Something personal. A secret… if you will. Can you please promise me to keep an open mind and just… listen what I have to say?”

“Uhm… s-sure?” Kate’s brow was furrowed, digging deep creases into her forehead. Following Max’s request, she eased herself onto the sofa once more. With her hands neatly folded in her lap, she waited, peering at Max with curiosity and respect. “You can talk to me. I swear, it’s okay.”

Max nodded, a timid smile tugging at her lips. Her knees began to bounce, nervousness nonetheless overtaking little by little. Yet she remained determined, taking another breath. To make it short and painless were her wishes. “C-Chloe and I, we’re… more than just friends. She’s more than my best friend, and I am more than a best friend to her.” She swallowed, hard. “We’re a couple. We’re together.” 

Kate cocked her head, biting onto her lip. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “As in…”

“She’s my girlfriend.”

  


#### * * *

  


“I love you,” Chloe whispered as she slouched into her seat, the words inaudible to anyone but herself, mingling amongst a breath full of satisfaction. Smiling, she lightly tapped the _Send_ button on her phone. Moments later, Max would come to receive a picture, a picture she would love and cherish, a picture which for a few seconds would take her breath away. Given the fact that Max was in Kate’s presence, Chloe did not expect to receive a similar answer. In any other circumstance she would have loved to issue some form of dare, some kind of ploy to prolong the exchange, some way to subtly rebuild part of the confidence Max had so clearly lost in the aftermath of the storm.

Nevertheless, despite her better knowledge, Chloe found herself staring at her phone, re-reading the short back and forth she had shared with Max. She was excited for their first date, yet since the previous day, deep within her a dreaded old fear stirred, a fear which was exacerbated by the current reality of being separated from one another.

However, for the time being she too had found a way to tether her thoughts to a brighter place. It was sappy, she knew, but Max’s smile and apparent happiness was enough for her to repel her fears, and expand upon her desire to make the upcoming day their most memorable one yet. She was brimming with ideas, too many to ever put into motion, but just enough to keep her mind, and therefore herself, busy.

After scrolling through the conversation for one more time, lingering at the picture of Max and Kate, Chloe tossed her phone over to the passenger side seat. At the moment she had no choice but to wait for her truck’s engine to cool down, and so she flung her feet onto the dashboard, pushing away a dirty old rag, and turning on the radio. Immediately, the roaring rhythms of one of her favorite bands blasted through the cabin. 

“Sweet!” she exclaimed, followed by the decision to turn up the volume as far as possible. Her head swayed and bobbed with each beat and drop, her hair swinging from side to side, and with eyes shut she listened, singing and blaring along, little by little losing herself to the music.

It was only after many minutes, once the most recent song came to end, that she felt ready to open her eyes, ready to get to work. She grabbed the rag, and hopped out. More than a simple necessity, regular check-ups on her truck had become a routine, one of those few activities which she continually looked forward to. Every time she did, she found new areas to tinker with and improve upon, little modifications to breathe fresh life into an otherwise old machine. But to her, the truck represented more than that. From the very first day, from the very moment she had discovered it at Arcadia Rust, it had become a symbol of her freedom. And while most people saw a piece worthy only of the place it originated from, she saw a beloved part of herself, the ongoing promise of a better time, and the tangible, physical proof that she was capable of anything. 

While rhythmically tapping her fingers against the frame, she skipped over to the hood of her car. She pushed it open, still humming along to the music coursing through her head. As always, her first action was to take a look at the engine oil. Carefully she pulled out the dipstick, wiping it clean on the rag she had brought, before dipping it into the tank once more. 

As she stood there, hunched over the innards of her truck, the garage door opened. Some slow and lumbering footsteps followed, and even without looking she knew they belonged to David. Working was as good a reason as any not to grant him too much attention, and so she continued, throwing him not even a cursory glance. However, it seemed as if David had other intentions.

He cleared his throat. “Working on your truck?”

Chloe did not budge, deeming the question worth an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “What does it look like?” she replied. Her tone dripped with sarcasm. 

“There’s no need for the snark. Just trying to make conversation.”

“And failing at it.”

She heard a sigh. “Chloe…”

Whereas Chloe’s relationship with her mother was on the mend, recovering with each passing day, the one between her and David was another matter entirely. It had not regressed by any means, but neither had it improved. In fact, since their agreed-upon ceasefire they had barely interacted. Chloe had spent most of her time with Max or her mother, whilst David was both busy at work, and on occasion assisting the under-staffed local police department. Although Chloe was not one to complain, she understood the current situation was not a permanent solution. 

She wanted to continue on the path she had set out to follow, the path Max had shown her that faithful day at the lighthouse. She wanted her mother to have the family countless tears had been spilled for, the family she too missed. She wanted to do better. She needed to do better.

Still, it was with obvious reluctance with which she drew herself back up to her full height. By now she had grown used to dodging the open hood whenever she stood up, having bumped her head more times than she could count. Breathing a larger than necessary sigh, she at last turned around. “I’m sorry…” she muttered. “You know, old habits, baby steps, all that shit…”

“Yeah. I get it,” David replied, nodding. He stood in the center of the open garage, carrying his toolbox. A part of him looked lost, as though years of expectations had been challenged within the blink of an eye. “So… You need some help or anything?”

“Nah, dude. I’m good.” Chloe crossed her arms, and nodded at her truck’s engine. “Drive belt needs tightening. Piece of crap always keeps going loose after a while. But that’s all.”

Again David nodded in acknowledgment. “I have to admit,” he said as he moved closer to take a look himself, “I keep expecting this thing to break down. But I’m impressed.” Albeit forced, he shot her a smile. It was one of those rare occasions Chloe saw him do so, and as always it looked as if it was his first time trying. “It takes a lot of skill to keep an old car like this running. And for its age it’s in rather good condition. Nice job.”

“Well… uhm… Thanks… I guess?” Chloe shrugged. She was not used to receiving praise, and doubly so when it was David handing it out. Yet it felt good, a certain sense of pride arising alongside. “To be honest, it’s not that much work,” she said, starting to feel more talkative. One of her hands ran over the front of her car, as if she was affectionately stroking the unpolished metal. “I just keep an eye on things to keep her running smoothly, y'know?”

“That’s more than most people do. Take care of it here, and it will take care of you on the road,” he replied as he crouched down. He opened his toolbox, and began to rifle through. “And if you keep it up, I’m sure it’ll keep running for quite a while longer.” Having found what he searched for, he held out a large wrench for Chloe to take. “Here. I don’t know if your father’s toolbox has one the right size.”

Chloe frowned. “It does actually…” she grumbled. Nevertheless, though with slight reluctance, she took him up on his offer. “But thanks. Guess I’ll save myself those ten footsteps.” She flipped the wrench in the air, nimbly catching it by its handle. “You never know when you’ll need them.”

David shook his head, a hint of a chuckle escaping him. After giving her yet another nod, he closed his toolbox, before making his way back into the garage.

Absentmindedly, Chloe tossed and caught the wrench for a couple more times. She was torn, her attention shifting from David, to her truck, then back to David. For one of the first times in her life she felt the urge to talk to him, to continue the conversation. When he picked up a ladder, her mind was made up. “So.. What are you doing?” she asked, loud enough for him to hear her. “What’s with the ladder?”

David seemed surprised, his head jerking back a little. “I’m removing those blasted cameras,” he said, pointing at the one above the garage.

“Huh.” Chloe scoffed, glancing at the device in question. She set aside the wrench, balancing it on her car’s engine to keep it from falling to the ground. With her arms crossed once more, she stared at David. “It’s about damn time.”

“Yes, well…” he said as he leaned the ladder against the house. “Your mother insisted, and-”

“For good reason!” Chloe said, taking a brisk step forward.

“And I agreed,” he continued, ignoring the interruption. His back was turned toward her, and he put his foot onto the first step of the ladder, pushing it into a stable position. It scraped against the coarse concrete of the driveway, the sound scratching and unpleasant. “Damned things almost cost me my family.”

An icy look, bordering on contempt flashed across Chloe’s face. She opened her mouth, shaking her head. “Dude, no…” she said, her tone sharp, her composure faltering. “They didn’t. The cameras did jack shit. That was all on you. By putting ‘em up in the first place…” She did not regret the harshness of her reply, but as soon as the words had left her mouth, David stopped dead in his tracks. His shoulders slumped, his head dropped, and his fingers tightly wound around the ladder.

“You’re right…” he replied somberly. “I made a mistake. One of many.” He looked over his shoulder, seeing the stern expression Chloe wore. “But I’m trying to fix things. Trying to do better, like I said I would.”

“For fuck’s sake…” Chloe muttered under her breath. “Look… I want them gone as much as you do. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but...” Her arms fell slack at her side, and she slipped her hands into her pockets, relaxing her rigid stance. “I guess I have some time. I can work on the truck later. So… If you need help or, anything… I’m here.”

After a second of hesitation, David turned around for good. “Sure,” he said. “The faster they’re gone, the better.” He grabbed his toolbox, placing it on the highest step of the ladder, before climbing up himself. “And if you’d like… we could have a beer afterward.” He willed a tentative smile. “Without your mother knowing of course.”

Even though she had just agreed to help him, Chloe could not suppress an audible snort of disbelief at the outlook of spending yet more time with David. “Yeah… no. I’ll pass,” she said. “We’re not there yet, so slow down.”

“Just a suggestion.”

“I get that.” Chloe picked up the wrench he had given her, and closed the hood of her car. “But I’ll have the beer anyway. Without the talk.”

  


#### * * *

  


Max’s heart was racing. 

While sharing the truth with Kate had been easy, the wait for an answer was less so. Mere seconds felt like minutes, and it seemed as if time had stopped altogether. As soon as Max had revealed her secret, Kate’s eyes had gone wide, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly. Deciphering her reaction was all but impossible, her expression teetering the fine line between shock and bewilderment. When at last she spoke, her voice carried faint hints of the latter. “O-oh… So… You and Chloe are…”

“Girlfriends, yes.” 

“Okay…”

“I…” Max bit the inside of her cheek, at the same time trying to keep her hands busy. She shifted uncomfortably, her eyes locked onto Kate. “I know your faith might tell you that it’s not right, or that it’s some kind of sin… but… But you’re my friend, Kate, and I feel like I can trust you, right? Please.”

It was Kate’s slow growing smile which at last made her opinion unquestionable. “Max, Max…” she said, gently laying a hand on Max’s knee. The words that followed were spoken with kindness, and understanding. “You’re right… My faith tells me a lot of things, and if I were to listen to it now… it might tell me that what you and Chloe are doing is wrong. But I don’t want to listen to that kind of… _faith_.” Kate paused, a distinct amount of scorn having snuck into her last sentence. When she continued, it was with a mumble. “Even less than I already am these days...”

A surge of relief flooded Max’s mind. Those long seconds of uncertainty she had experienced were smoothed away by Kate’s words, like pebbles in a tide. She relaxed, the tension in her body she had unconsciously accumulated disappearing. “So… You’re okay with Chloe and I?” she asked. “With two girls?”

“Max…” Kate repeated. “I am. Don’t worry.” Nevertheless her eyes went somewhere else, her expression taking on a more measured look. She seemed thoughtful, and she grew a pinch quieter. “You saved my life. You came up to me on that roof and talked me down. No one else did. You did what no one else could have done, and in that moment… that moment I took your hand to get off that ledge, you showed me that what I believed in did not have all the answers. And after all that happened… I don’t have to believe what the bible, or religion or god tells me to…” Up until this very moment Kate’s hand had not left Max’s knee, but all of a sudden it did, flinching upward to touch Max’s forearm. “You’re the only angel I have ever met. And if Chloe is the same to you, and you to her… Then who am I to judge? Who am I to say what is right and wrong?” With the same unexpected speed her other hand found its way to Max’s forearm. “I am done believing what others tell me to believe, I am done following what others tell me to follow. And you seem so happy with her, and she cares so much about you…” She gave Max’s arm a gentle squeeze, before letting go again, smiling in a way only Kate Marsh could. “It’s beautiful, really. You deserve it.”

“I… Kate… I just…”

Max was at a loss for words, but she remembered now. She recognized the sensation, she knew it, she felt it. It was one she had almost forgotten over the course of the past weeks, one so mundane and boring for the rest of the world, but so special for her. Gone were for fleeting moments the burdens of unsought powers and life changing events, the fears of loss and separation, the dark and ever-present memories. They were eclipsed, and whether it was through a visit to a friend, a pleasant conversation, or the outlook of a first date with a first love—it all could not have mattered any less. Because for once, she felt normal. 

Like an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life, doing ordinary things.

But even now, her eyes welled up with tears. She had lost count of how many times she or Chloe had broken down, but neither did she care. These tears were different. They were tears joy and happiness, of relief and gratitude, the pent up desire to leave what happened behind and start anew.

“I… I just wanna hug you right now,” she said, chuckling at the absurdity of the situation, yet at the time same sobbing, allowing the tears to flow. She did not wait for Kate to consent, simply lunging into her arms as soon as she was about to speak. “Thank you. I was afraid you’d push me away, or… I don’t know… I just… I don’t want to lose my friends, and I…” Another sob escaped her throat, choking out any semblance of sense further words would have made. “Just… thank you so much.”

Max’s behavior raised questions, but it also answered existing ones. It was a weird situation, but Kate now not only suspected, but fully realized that the true reason for Max’s recent behavior had been hidden from her, just as Chloe had alluded to. She did not mind, recalling both the situation she herself had been in, and how Max had been her friend throughout. And so, there was only one thing for her to do. 

“Did you really think I would push you away because of this?” she asked, ignoring the slight awkwardness of their hug. “W-why would you think that? You’re my friend, Max. I would never do that.”

When Max pulled away moments later, her eyes were red and puffy, but she was also smiling. “I-I don’t know…” she replied. Using her sleeves, she wiped away her tears. “It’s just… there’s a lot going on, and now I just… I-I feel like there’s one less thing I need to worry about.” She began to laugh and sniffle, and soon broke into a coughing fit. “It’s so stupid I know… But it also feels so nice. And it’s not just for me, but also for Chloe. I love her so much. She means everything to me, and she’s been doing a lot for me and sharing that with someone… it feels great.”

Kate stood up, striding to her nightstand to grab a box of tissues. “I’m so happy for you,” she said. “And it makes so much sense.”

Another, albeit shorter burst of joyful tears ran down Max’s cheeks. “Really?”

“Yes!” Kate flopped down onto the sofa, handing Max the box of tissues. “When I saw how Chloe talked about you yesterday, I thought she just really cared for you. As a friend. But it makes sense. Now that I’m thinking about it, I actually saw you holding hands yesterday and… I guess I just didn’t put two and two together.”

“I guess we’re kinda obvious, aren’t we.” Max giggled, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. “Anyway… You’re the first to know.”

“Max, you flatter me.”

“No,” Max shook her head, clutching the tissue in slightly trembling hands. “There’s one else I’d rather tell first.”

The kettle on Kate’s desk began to whistle, the water close to boiling. Kate only threw a short glance over her shoulder, opting to remain seated a little while longer. “Thank you, Max,” she said. “I appreciate you trusting me with this. It can’t have been easy.”

“Actually it was.” With the last of Max’s tears gone, her smile returned, larger than ever. “It felt right.”

Kate nodded in understanding. “Well, that’s good. And like I said, I’m glad for you,” she said. “Though in hindsight I do feel kind of stupid. Just last week I told you that you and Warren would make a cute couple.”

“Yeah… You’re not the only one. Chloe and I, that’s fairly recent.” Max ran a hand over her forehead, and through her hair, her brows narrowing. “I just hope Warren takes the news as well as you did. Last time I saw him it didn’t work out so well. Haven’t heard from him since.”

The whistling of the kettle died down little by little. “Did something happen?” Kate asked as she stood up to check on the water. “I haven’t had the chance to go see him yet.”

“We got in a bit of a fight,” Max explained. Breathing a small groan, she slumped backward. Kate’s sofa creaked loudly as she did, the sound gathering Alice’s attention. Seemingly intrigued, the bunny hopped closer, giving Max an excuse to get up as well. As had been the case before, she crouched down in front of the pen, ready to once more administer more pets and scratches. It was with a sigh that she continued to elaborate on the topic at hand. “I think Warren was jealous because I was spending so much time with Chloe… Mostly anyway… And probably because I didn’t want to go out on a date with him.”

“Ouch.” Kate grimaced. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Max’s answer was clear, her tone managing to remain light. “No,” she said. “This has been nice so far, so let’s not bog it down with unpleasantness, shall we?” As she spoke, Kate retrieved a couple of cups, as well as two tin jars which she opened promptly. “I’ll talk to him once he is out of the hospital. As Chloe said, no point in worrying about it now. It’ll probably turn out just fine.”

“All right. For what it’s worth, I think she’s right. And you’re right too,” Kate replied. “Let’s have a nice afternoon. There’s enough trouble these days, no need to give it more attention than it deserves.” She spun around in a somewhat dramatic fashion, presenting the tin jars. “So, what do you prefer? Green or black?”


	20. …And Not So Subtle Fireworks

“Shhh!” Kate put a finger to her lips. “Look!” she whispered, directing Max’s attention. “Over there. By that tree.” A look of pure joy flickered in her eyes, and her grin was a mile wide, threatening to split her face in two.

Likewise, laughter began to bubble inside Max. She had to cover her mouth to keep at bay her sudden and irresistible glee, only just managing to heed Kate’s request. She was shaking, all but curling over, but nevertheless she nodded. Yet it was not her, but Kate herself who most struggled to keep her composure. With teeth clenched and lips pressed together, a desperate attempt at stifling a laugh, it was but a question of time as to when she would slip, and burst into a fit of giggles.

No more than a dozen feet away, a rather rotund squirrel had scurried down a tree, its clumsy movements the cause for the girls’ current predicament. The critter skittered and scrabbled through the grass and the surrounding bushes, and up onto a tree stump. It did not stray far, and without a doubt its curiosity was piqued less by the two girls, and more by the bag of peanuts lying next to them.

By now, Kate was actively biting her bottom lip, yielding to a hushed chuckle. Cautious not to frighten the squirrel away, she reached into the bag. The crinkling of plastic drew the critter off its makeshift pedestal, and with the same care Kate leaned forward, laying the open palm of her hand flat onto the lawn, like a platter presenting a single peanut. “Come here. Come, get it,” she cooed. “It’s for you.”

Inch by inch the squirrel crept closer, stopping every other foot to reassess the situation. Just as it halted to a renewed stop, a gentle breeze rushed over the grass, and through the trees. Red and yellow leaves fell around them, one of which landed squarely on top of Kate’s head, entangling itself in her hair. It did not help matters, eliciting a loud snort from Max. Kate however remained steadfast, as did the squirrel, and their patience was soon to be rewarded. Once it was located but a handful of feet away, the critter darted forward. With surprising nimbleness it pounced straight onto Kate’s hand, collecting its treat, before scrambling and tumbling back to the tree, and onto a branch.

Max released the breath she had been holding for the past seconds, again snorting loudly. “Oh my god!” she exclaimed. “I feel so bad for laughing, but the way it waddled down the tree was so cute!”

“Waddle, waddle!” Kate giggled, and with puffed-up cheeks she rocked from side to side, letting her arms flail though the air. In that very instant every last shred of restraint still clinging to her failed. Beaming and giggling with unhinged delight, she threw herself backward into the grass, clutching her stomach with one hand, while using the other to cover her eyes.

It was the happiest Max had ever seen her.

About two hours had passed. Two hours since Max’s arrival at the dormitories, two hours since her subsequent revelation. For the most part, the true relationship between her and Chloe had been the dominant topic, even during their long anticipated tea session. Over time it had given way to less notable, but equally enjoyable conversation, and only as the supply of tea began to run dry, did she and Kate decide to move outside.

The yard in front of the dormitories was deserted—a woeful pattern, but it proved to be a blessing in disguise. The absence of prying eyes enabled a still healing Kate to enjoy herself, preventing the everlasting rumors from intruding into her psyche. To soak up the autumn sun, to enjoy the fresh air, to have fun, this afternoon those were their objectives.

“God…” Max sighed in appreciation, her hands skimming over the grass. She sat leaned against a tree, the ever thinning canopy above allowing for glimpses of the glinting sun. At her side lay her bag, and within, her phone. “All the animals around here seem to like you,” she said. “You’re like a Disney Princess.”

Kate peeked at her through open fingers. Somehow, what Max had said was enough to once more make her laugh. She breathed heavily, a joyful lightness continuing to radiate through her body. “I would love to have a dress like that!” she said with another giggle. “They’re twirly.”

“They sure are…” Amidst the excitement of minutes past, Max had almost forgotten the chat they had been engaged in, and it was with a certain feeling of regret that she returned to it. “But so…” she said. “Have you had any time to work on your book while you were with your family? You mentioned being quite busy.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah… I did.” Full of excitement, Kate pushed herself onto her elbows, a small grunt escaping her. “I did drawings and even sketched out some story ideas!” She offered Max a smile. “But after today I think you’ve given me some more.”

“Really?”

Kate nodded. “I wanted to teach children about the dangers of bullying. I… No one else should have to go through what I did… But after what you said earlier, I thought it might be good to talk about other things too. Like about acceptance and prejudices. I think those topics could tie in very well with one another.”

“Kate that’s a great idea,” Max agreed. “I’m sure it’s going to be a great book.”

“Thank you.” Kate drew her legs close to her chest to keep herself steady. “Writing a children’s book is something I’ve always wanted to do. And after what happened, I think it’s the right time to do so, to… to try s _omething_ _._ Maybe it can help someone out there. Make a difference.”

A gust of wind tugged on Max’s hair. She brushed aside a loose strand, freeing up her view. “That’s a very noble thing to do,” she said in reply to Kate’s aspirations. “If you ever need any help, you just ask, okay?”

“Well, you already know you’re going to take the pictures. But…” Kate replied, her tone sly. “With your and Chloe’s permission, I would love to include you two as characters. Maybe as your favorite animals?”

A squeal sounded over the yard. Max did not have the time to cover her mouth, too quick was her reaction. “I’m imagining a cute little otter,” she all but yelped. “With a blue beanie!”

“And for you we’ll have a doe with a classic instant camera hanging around its neck!”

“But there also has to be a bunny who loves playing the violin.” Max giggled, throwing Kate her best attempt at a semi-serious look. “And maybe a clumsy fat squirrel who loves stealing other animals’ food.”

Kate’s eyes went wide. “The villain!” she said with a deep voice and feigned shock, before slipping into yet another fit of laughter.

Although amused, Max had a different reaction. A more subdued one. She closed her eyes, smiling, feeling the warm sun on her skin, hearing the joyful giggles and the ever-present rustling of leaves. There was genuine happiness behind Kate’s behavior, happiness part of Max had not come to expect, happiness she too coveted. “You know…” she said. “When I told you about me and Chloe earlier, I have to admit I was a bit nervous. And I know you said you were okay with it, but I still can’t help but be surprised… I guess I was afraid you’d react differently. But I most certainly did not expect _this_. You seem so happy, so…” She paused, searching for more adequate words. “Well, I’d say if anyone is glowing today, then it’s definitely you.”

For the second time in mere minutes Kate dropped to the ground, and as had been the case before, she sprawled, enjoying the prickling sensation of grass against her skin. While her smile failed to wane, she nonetheless seemed to lose herself in thought. Her attention followed a large fluffy cloud, her brows furrowing. “It’s strange,” she replied at last. “But you’re right. If you had told me something like that a few weeks ago… I think there would have been a very real chance I would have reacted differently. And that thought scares me.”

Up until now, Max had remained stationary, yet upon hearing Kate’s answer, she scooted forward to sit next to her. She waited for Kate to continue, and the girl did so without delay. “Like I told you earlier, I was raised to believe certain things, to have certain thoughts. To trust god’s plan as my parents would tell you.” The rising amount of doubt in her voice was unmistakable, her opinion clear. She breathed a sigh, and rolled onto her stomach.

“But if that plan exists,” she continued, looking up at Max. Due to the sun, she had to shield her eyes, making it hard to read her expression. “Then it put me on that roof. And like I said, it wasn’t god who come to talk me down. It wasn’t faith that told me what to do. It was you. And at first I didn’t think about it like that. But then I had time… I still think there’s someone out there looking out for us, some higher power. But he…or she…or whoever...That power wasn’t there when I needed it. So I came to the conclusion that it is time to follow my own path. To stop following blindly.”

In spite of the fact that her suspicions were all but confirmed, Max nodded toward Kate’s neck, toward where in weeks past a golden cross used to hang. “That’s why you’re not wearing your necklace, right?” she asked. Following Kate’s explanation, her tone had grown more careful. “You started to doubt your faith.”

The mention of her necklace caused an instinctive reaction. Without thinking, Kate reached for the missing pendant, looking down as she grasped at nothing. “Yes…” she replied, gaze shifting back to Max. “I still feel… I don’t know, naked? Like a part of myself is missing, a part that’s been there all my life.” She sat up, cross-legged, and little by little a tentative smile returned to her. “But maybe there’s another part I can replace it with. Or maybe it comes back to me. It doesn’t really matter, because for now I’m just happy to be here. And I learned a lot about myself.”

“That’s good!” Max placed a hand on Kate’s knee, giving her a light pat. “It suits you. And if you’re happy, that’s all that counts.”

Gently, Kate smiled at her. “I _am_ happy. Probably more than I have ever been. Still… Sometimes I slip into old habits and pray or open the bible just to read a passage…”

“Well, it’s only been a few days, right?” Max interjected. “Sometimes it’s hard to let go. Nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Yeah,” Kate agreed, “But it feels good knowing that there’s other answers out there. The world… it doesn’t seem that narrow anymore. Like… there’s other perspectives, you know? For example… I’m actually going to see the school’s psychologist next week.”

“Really?”

Eagerly Kate nodded as she saw a questioning look of incredulity cross Max’s face. “When I was at the hospital they told me their door is always open, and now I’m thinking that they could have real answers as well.” She chuckled lightly. “A few weeks ago I would have never done such a thing, but now I want to.”

Therapy. Counseling.

A lump formed in Max’s throat. A sudden, eerily familiar thrill surged up along her legs. She shuddered. She knew the words all too well. They brought into the fore memories of stifling rooms, the incessant, jarring creaking of leathered covered sofas, the pair of bug-like eyes staring at her through thick oversized glasses. Prodding and pressing were the questions, lacking and always identical the answers.

_Our first date. Just us, together._

However, her experiences were her own, and so the answer was simple, and straightforward. “If you think it can help you, then you should definitely go,” she said. She tried, but was unsure as to whether her tone conveyed some form of reservation, or actual encouragement. “It’s… it’s a good idea.”

To Max’s relief, the latter rang true. “I actually already talked to someone,” Kate replied. “When I was in the hospital.” While she spoke, another couple of squirrels darted across the lawn, engaged in what looked to be a wild chase. They ran up and down the trees, vanished in the bushes only to reappear some seconds later, but promptly stopped as soon as their attention was caught by two peanuts being tossed in their direction.

“You did?” Max asked. “I didn’t know.”

“Mhm,” Kate confirmed, watching the two squirrels squabble over their treats instead. “It was strange at first, talking to someone you don’t know… But the doctor I spoke to was really friendly, and she made me feel… welcome. Like, she didn’t pressure me, I really felt like I could just talk to her. Without overthinking it, you know?” She breathed a sigh, and grew a pinch quieter. “It was nice…”

The fact that, and the way how Kate’s voice had changed, garnered Max’s concern. While she for the first time today felt apprehensive of a conversation, she knew that these hours were not solely about herself. “What is it?” she asked, dragging herself a little closer still. “Is there something you want to talk about?”

“No, thank you, it’s okay…” Kate shook her head, though only weakly. “I’m just a bit nervous about seeing someone different. It’s stupid, but I’m kind of afraid they’re not as nice as the doctor from the hospital. That’s all.”

“Well… If you’re not comfortable with… whoever it’ll be that you are talking to, then they’ll understand that. It’s about you, not them. No one will be angry or disappointed at you.” Max’s intentions were simple. She wanted to bolster Kate’s confidence, be there for a friend, yet what came next she did not expect.

And she appreciated it even less.

Kate shifted, stretching her legs, then returning to her earlier position. “Maybe you would like to come with me?” she blurted out with startling frankness, as if she had disregarded the opportunity to weigh her options beforehand. “Maybe it can help you as well.”

By the look on Max’s face, one could have been forgiven if the expression were misunderstood as confusion. However, it was anything but. “Wait, _what_?” she asked, recoiling. Even her nostrils flared ever so slightly. “ _Why?_ ” Although sharp as a knife, the questions were for the most part rhetorical ones. She understood the origin of Kate’s suggestion, part of her even appreciated the concern, yet still she could not help but feel offended, vexed at the gall. Maybe Kate cared too much.

Immediately Kate’s gaze dropped to the ground, her shoulders seemingly being pulled along. The Kate of weeks past made a sudden return, shy and unsure of herself. “I… I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I didn’t mean to-”

“No, look.” Max’s tone was harsher than needed, a circumstance she was quick to realize. Sighing, she shook her head. “Kate. I’m sorry, I really am, but no… I can’t. And I don’t want to talk about it.”

Despite Max’s apology, Kate even further shrank in on herself. When she spoke it was with almost a whisper. “I-I… I just want to help, and… Like you helped me.” Her chin was lowered, only her eyes rising to meet Max’s, with hesitation and slowness. “Max, _you saved my life_. And something is very clearly weighing heavy on your heart. It’s so hard not to notice. And whatever that is, talking to someone could help you.” Strained was the smile tugging at her lips, and with continuing uncertainty she reached out to Max. “Please, I promise I really didn’t mean to offend you… But I’d hate to see you slip into the same darkness I slipped into. Don’t make the same mistakes I did.”

_Our first date. Just us, together. Our first date. Just us, together. Our first date. Just us, together._

It did not help.

Heat rushed along Max’s spine, and up to her neck. “Kate… That’s very nice of you, but…” Her lips were pressed together with all the force she could muster, but sensing her peace of mind crumble, she whipped around, eyes searching for her bag. It lay behind her, still under the tree. “It’s okay, all right?” she said as she wrenched it closer.

Chloe was but a phone call away. A phone call she was willing to make.

“You’re already helping,” she continued, forcing a smile, before rifling through her bag. Her hands made contact with her phone, even the sensation of the cold metal frame for a moment soothing her. What she failed to notice was Kate’s narrowing of brows, as well as the subtle cock of her head, reactions which followed the admission that indeed something was wrong. “Like we’ve been saying, a nice afternoon. That’s… it’s all I need. Okay?”

“Okay. I understand. I’m sorry for bringing it up.” Kate nodded meekly. Having witnessed the backlash her suggestion had fallen upon, she measured her next words with a tea spoon. “I-if… you’d like we could go for a walk and take some pictures? And I’m sure we’ll find some more hungry squirrels along the way. And then we can talk about something else?”

Max’s fingers were still curled around her phone, though her grip was loosening little by little. The tension between the two girls began to retreat, without however vanishing for good. That she was now aware of Kate’s worries and intentions, no matter how noble they were, did not help in quelling the loss of eagerness she forthwith felt.

“I… S-sure, we can do that,” she replied with a sigh, agreeing for the sake of it. “But I have to go digital today. I only have film for one more pic left, and I wanted to save it for Chloe… and tomorrow.”

“That’s sweet, you should definitely save it. Today, if you’d like you can-”

“See! What did I tell you?” From somewhere behind them, Dana’s voice carried through the air. There was a mocking, teasing quality to it. “You should listen to me once in a while.”

“Yeah… Yeah… Just, rub it in.”

Startled, both Max and Kate turned around. Headed toward them were Dana and Juliet, each carrying what looked to be a decently sized stack of colorful flyers. They were quick to cross the yard, and judging by the overly large grins they each wore, in a great mood. As they came closer, Dana waved at Max and Kate, then shot Juliet a look which could only be interpreted as _I told you so_. In response, Juliet stuck out her tongue.

“Hey you two!” Dana exclaimed, not wasting any time to plop down right next to Max and Kate. “Nice to see some friendly faces around.”

“Oh god, I get it!” Juliet giggled, giving Dana a playful shove before she too sat down. “You were right. Okay?”

During the entire exchange, Max and Kate had watched and waited in confusion, throwing each other more than the odd questioning look. It was Kate who, after shrugging, replied first. “H-hi…” she said. It was clear she was not quite comfortable with the unexpected arrival. “You two seem… excited?”

“You could say that!” Dana smiled brightly, almost managing to put Kate’s earlier joy to shame. “And you two seem busy, so we don’t want to keep you for too long, but first…” She took a deep breath, releasing it with the same intensity. “Kate. Can I just say how good it is to see you out and about? Seeing you and Max hang out again, it warms my heart.” While Dana talked, Max sneaked her phone out of the bag, lowering it into her lap instead. Neither of the other girls noticed.  

“Yes,” Juliet added, a little quieter, a little more bashful. “I’m glad to see you okay. This place wouldn’t be the same without you.”

Kate threw a pleading look at Max, a look which did not pass by unseen, and was acknowledged with a subtle nod. “That’s… That’s very nice of you, thank you,” she replied nevertheless. “It’s nice to be back.”

“I’m so-”

“S-so,” Max interrupted, gesturing at the flyers. “What are you up to?”

“Oh, uh... y-yeah, well…” While not taken aback, Dana most definitely was a little surprised. After fumbling with the flyers for a second, she handed one to Max and Kate each. “These are for you,” she said. “I think Max, you already told me you’d make an appearance?”

As soon as Kate began scanning over the flyer, she frowned. “A Halloween party? You really think that’s such a good idea?”

“Yeah,” Max said. “Isn’t it a bit… well, I mean it’s pretty close to everything, don’t you think?”

“We did think so, but only at first,” Juliet chimed in. “Look there,” she continued, leaning over to tap on the flyer Kate was looking at. Her chin was held high, her grin proud, bordering on smug. “We decided to have a fundraiser for the local community, and the school. If everyone spares a little we might actually be able to raise a decent amount.”

“So you’re doing this for a good cause?” Kate asked. “That’s very nice of you.”

“Yep!” Dana exclaimed. She sounded genuinely enthusiastic. “So please consider stopping by, even if it’s only for an hour or so. Even good old _Wells,_ of all people, agreed to come by. So there’s really no excuse.”

“’Cause he heard you mention money, girl,” Juliet said. “Because why else…”

“Because it’s the decent thing to do.”

“Yeah, well. Mentioning the money definitely helped.”

While Max had all but retreated from the conversation, idly fidgeting with her phone, and at best half-listening, Kate grew more intrigued by the second, in no small part due to the playful bickering between Dana and Juliet. “You are really excited for this,” she noted. “I hope it all goes well.”

“Oh dear god, me too,” Dana laughed. “But we think that people around here deserve a good old night of harmless fun. None of that Vortex club bullshit. Jules and I have been working hard to get this right.” She sat aside her stack of flyers, flipping through it, and splitting off two small bundles, which she then in turn all but shoved into the unsuspecting hands of Max and Kate. “So please, ask you friends, your family, hell I don’t care who… People just have to consider attending.” Smiling, she eyed Kate, her look one of understanding and sympathy. “And I know parties might not be your home turf, especially after what happened, but I promise we’ll be there to keep an eye on things. No alcohol, no drugs, nothing. It’s all good and clean fun.”

Kate answered with a shy nod, once more reading over the flyer, as if to hide behind it. “I’ll think about it… Okay?”

“Great! That’s the spirit,” Dana replied. “And like I said, Max already told me she’d come. You won’t be alone. We’re all looking out for you.”

“We are. But don’t forget to dress up.” Juliet smirked. “There’s gonna be a costume contest.”

  


#### * * *

  


“Hey, Chloe!” David called out. “Thanks for the help.”

The words did not fall on deaf, but rather uninterested ears. As soon as the last camera had been removed, and her truck fixed up, Chloe had grabbed the beer she was promised, opting to leave David to his own devices. “Yeah… yeah…” she replied, dryly, as she closed the door linking the garage to the living room, and entering the latter. “Don’t get used to it.”

Just as the door fell into its lock, Joyce peeked out of the kitchen. “Don’t get used to it?” she asked. “Chloe…” Though the question could have been understood to be in earnest, the slight smile, and the almost teasing way it was posed, made it clear Joyce was not entirely serious.

And neither was Chloe. She took a hearty sip of her beer, and sauntered over to the kitchen sink. “Yeah… I know. It was surprisingly not fucking terrible,” she muttered. “Not completely anyway… But can’t have him know that, right?”

“ _Right._ ” Joyce shook her head. With a newspaper and pen in hand, she sat down at the living room table. Already spread across were a handful brochures and pamphlets, as well as two other, thicker booklets. “For what’s it worth,” she said, flipping through the newspaper, “seeing you and David manage to work together, without trying to rip each other’s heads off…” She looked up, at Chloe, smiling. “Let’s just say I’m glad to see you trying.”

“Well, I made a promise,” Chloe replied. Using her elbow, she turned on the faucet. Her hands were smeared with grease and engine oil, and she had to scrub hard to get rid of the stains. “And I intend on keeping it. I’m kinda sick of the fighting…”

Joyce circled and scribbled something in the newspaper, then put aside her pen. Her left, non-dominant hand was unsteady, her broken arm without a doubt continuing to complicate everyday life. “We all are, Chloe. And I certainly don’t expect things to change overnight, but I’m proud of you for trying.” Each word was filled with emotion, a healthy blend of gratitude and happiness. “You can take your time. Because you’re doing just fine already.”

There was a gleam in Chloe’s eyes, a knowing grin on her lips. “Thanks,” she said. “But anyway…” She wiped dry her hands on her pants, picked up her beer, and skipped over to the table.

“You do know we have towels, right?”

“Yep.” Chloe grabbed a chair and sat down opposite her mother. For a moment, while taking another sip, her eyes roamed over the multitude of pamphlets and booklets, before settling on the newspaper. Ever so slightly she craned her neck to get a better look. “Mom…” She frowned, setting down the bottle. “Are you looking for a new job?”

The answer was not immediate, and it was accompanied by faint traces of unease. “I have to keep my options open,” Joyce explained. She flipped through another page, and breathed a heavy sigh. “With the diner destroyed, I may have to look elsewhere. But around these parts… Things are looking quite bleak.”

Chloe got up again, and instead she hopped on the table. Letting her feet dangle, she scooted closer to her mother, her expression turning serious. “You really think they’re not gonna rebuild? Two Whales has the only worthwhile food in town. Except... this house of course.”

“Good save.”

Allowing herself a small grin, Chloe continued. “And, isn’t there like… like some kind of assistance system you can apply for? It’s not like you were let go, it’s just that your workplace has been destroyed by some…” She grimaced, swallowing. “By some unforeseen disaster, right? And technically you’re still employed, aren’t you…”

Joyce tilted her head to the side, giving Chloe an incredulous stare. “Right.” she said. “I am.”

“I may have looked it up,” Chloe replied, shrugging. “The grant thing. I just… I wanted to know. Like, if there’s something to help.”

Upon hearing Chloe’s answer, a slow but proud smile crossed her mother’s face. She nodded, and closed the newspaper, revealing another set of brochures Chloe had not seen at first glance. “We already applied,” she said. “But that money only goes so far, and David can only pick up so many shifts. Plus… Truth be told, I’m not used to sitting around like this.” It was barely visible, but nonetheless Joyce’s shoulders slumped. “I feel useless.”

“Hey come on mom,” Chloe replied. “You’re not useless. You deserve the time off. And I actually…” Her voice trailed off, her attention caught by a specific brochure. One not unfamiliar. “… and I like you being home a bit more,” she continued, mumbling as she snatched the brochure off the table. _The College Of Arcadia’s Early Childhood Education Certification Program,_ it read. “And it seems you’re doing just fine.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…” Chloe said, placing the brochure in front of her mother. “That I remember this from years ago. You’ve always wanted to teach to teach kids, and you were ready to go ahead and change careers. But then…”

Joyce’s gaze was locked on the pamphlet, and slightly she leaned forward, resting her broken arm on the table.. “Your father died…”

“Yeah…” Even now, five years later, each mention of her father, no matter how minor, no matter how inconsequential, brought forth heaviness and heartache.

Slowness overcame Chloe as she cast her eyes to the garden, a veil drawn over her thoughts. It was the touch of her mother’s hand, grazing along her knee, which managed to lift the somber reflections in her mind. Shaking her head, and sighing, Chloe’s focus shifted back. Joyce was smiling, a quiet understanding between them. Before continuing, Chloe placed a hand on top of her mother’s, her appreciation expressed by a small, gentle squeeze. She too smiled. “What I meant to say is,” she said, much quieter. “You had to put your dreams on the backburner. For my ungrateful ass…” With her other hand, she slid the brochure a little closer toward her mother. She sniffled, her throat scratchy. “But m-maybe now is the time?”

A smudge of grease clung to Chloe’s cheek. For many seconds Joyce had not moved, her eyes firmly on her daughter, a fact which remained unchanged even as she reached up to wipe away the stain. “Sometimes, on certain days,” she said, “I don’t recognize the young woman in front of me.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Chloe giggled faintly. Her ears grew red, and with arms crossed she squirmed away from her mother’s hand. “I’m just saying you know… Because look mom, I-I want you to be happy too, and…” Again she sniffled, the giggles only a momentary occurrence, unlike her breaking voice. “If this is something you wanna do, then… Look, now is as good a time as any. Probably the best, actually. And since those are night classes, you could even go if the diner opens up again.”

Joyce picked up the brochure. It was with a certain nostalgia-filled sadness that she looked at its contents, sinking into her chair. “I don’t know, Chloe… I’m just an old gal dreaming.”

“Oh come on!” Chloe exclaimed. As if personally insulted by the suggestion, she jumped off the table. Instead, she crouched down next to her mother, and furthermore, in a reversal of positions, it was her who now placed a hand on her mother’s knee. Her look was almost pleading. “I know you’d make a great teacher.” She chuckled. “After all… you raised me. And that couldn’t have-”

“Chloe…”

“Mom, no… I’m saying you should go for it.” She hated it, and she fought it with all her might, but she could not stop the shimmering of tears from gripping her eyes. “You should.”

Aimlessly Joyce flicked through the pages, back and forth, but never reading. She sighed, lost in thought and memory. “When I was your age, a little bit younger maybe, I dreamed of becoming a teacher for the school I used to go to. Back at home. Just ask your grandmother, it’s all I ever talked about…” She set aside the brochure, shifting and twisting in her chair so she was pointed and looking at Chloe. “But then I met Bill. And I just knew he was… the one. We fell in love, we were young and…” She reached out to Chloe, cupping her cheek. With pupils large, and gaze steady, her eyes glistened just as much as Chloe’s. “And life had other, _beautiful, amazing_ plans.” More and more her voice cracked, each word brimming with more emotion than the last, each word bringing her closer to the brink of tears. “A daughter, a little girl, a beautiful little girl. Chloe, I don’t regret for a moment how it turned out. Not for a single one.”

Chloe drew a deep breath, she had to, clenching her teeth, pursing her lips. “Mom… Look….” Seeing her mother, she realized she too was engaged in a losing battle. And no longer did she hold back. “I-I…” Her mouth opened, and with the first tear rolling down her face, she shook her head. “Mom… I know that I didn’t make things easier for you, and… fuck…I-I know I’m probably part of the reason why you never got to it after… after dad died, and…”

Without hesitation Joyce stood up, pushing away the chair and crumpling to the floor in front of her daughter. “Don’t, honey. Don’t blame yourself for something-”

“No, mom, listen.” Chloe cupped her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut as she was reduced to wracking sobs. “I know things weren’t great. You worked your ass off for me, f-for David, for a family I tried to deny you. I was a fucking ungrateful piece of shit. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” What little defenses she continued to maintain were promptly cast aside. She flung herself into her mother’s embrace, the impact almost causing them to fall over. Tears and sobs from both women filled the otherwise quiet living room.

“But mom…” she continued, leaning against the soothing warmth of Joyce’s shoulder. “I’m trying to be better, and I’m trying so hard… And for once y-you should follow your own dreams. I know I’m not that little girl anymore, but we’re still a family. We stick together, we look out for each other.” Only a little she pulled away. The pained expression of her mother’s, even her tears, it all was a mirror to her own. “You looked out for me for years, and now it’s my turn. If you do this, I promise I will do anything I can to help. I’ll pick up the slack, hell I can find work and help with the bills…” She gripped her mother’s shoulder, giving her a desperate look. “Please, think about it, okay? Please.”

Overwhelmed by emotion, overwhelmed by the ongoing transformation of Chloe, Joyce had to search for the right words. But there was only one thing to say. “Chloe,” she said with a tone yet to recover. “You are growing up to be an amazing young woman. I am-” A sob interrupted. “I am so proud of you. No matter what happened. Don’t you _ever_ think that I’m not. You hear me?”

Even amongst the tears, Chloe found a sanctuary of joy and relief. “Yeah… Yeah. But just… Before I start to bawl my eyes out again…” She laughed, using her arm to brush dry her cheeks. “Promise me you’ll think about it?”

Joyce shook her head, not out of denial, but out of disbelief. A smile joined her tears, the latter bit after bit giving way to the former. “I promise,” she said, dabbing at her eyes. “I will think about it.”

Again Chloe wiped her cheeks. “Good,” she said. “That’s good. That’s all I wanted to hear. I promise you won’t regret it.”

“Chloe, how could I? Maybe you’re right.” Joyce replied. Her gaze was adoration-filled and unyielding, and for several moments she paused, taking full, satisfied breaths, regaining her composure. Meanwhile a serene silence reigned between them, the sole sounds some light shuffling and hammering coming from the garage. “Maybe it _is_ time to turn a new page. These days… It feels like it’s happening anyway.”

  


#### * * *

  


“And before we go,” Dana said. “There’s one more thing.” Although the four of them were alone, sitting in a secluded corner of the yard, she leaned a little closer, as if to keep passers-by from overhearing their conversation. With a knowing grin, she first looked at Kate, then at Max. The latter continued to fumble with her phone, locking and unlocking it, more and more feeling the afternoon slip away. “Have you heard the latest gossip?”

Kate wrinkled her nose. A strong dose of skepticism was shared by both her and Max. With the same lukewarm shrug they replied. “I’m not one for gossip…”

“Yeah…” Max said. “I don’t think it’s…” Subtly she nodded in the direction of Kate. “Appropriate.”

Even Juliet seemed to agree. She threw a light jab at Dana’s leg, causing her to mutter an apology. “Ouch. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. But… it’s really not that kind of gossip. I think you might actually like it. It’s about your photography classes.”

“Oh.” Kate’s expression mellowed out. “Do you know when classes are coming back?”

“No, no, no.” Dana replied. “It’s about a new-”

Juliet gasped. She jumped up, phone in hand. She texted something, her fingers all but flying over the keyboard, her face lighting up with a wicked grin. “It’s Zach!” The exclamation was mostly aimed toward Dana, though she could not help but smile at Max and Kate too. “I’ll be right back!”

“Geeze girl…” Dana muttered. “Overreaction much?”

“Shut up.” Though already skipping away to give herself some privacy, Juliet could not help but continue their verbal tug-of-war. “You’re just jealous ‘cause Trevor’s usually too baked to keep you and Justin apart,” she yelled. “Justin’s probably a better kisser too.”

Dana snorted, and even Kate failed to deny herself a snicker. “Anyway,” the former said, shaking her head as she brought her attention back to Max and Kate. “Rumor has it that Wells is already in talks with a new photography teacher. Apparently he wants things to go back to normal as soon as possible.”

For the first time in minutes, Max stopped fidgeting. The recent hardships, and her general lack of proximity to the everyday life at Blackwell Academy, had resulted in yet another forgotten, and in parts suppressed scenario. A new teacher would inevitably give rise to memories of his predecessor, and so it was that the ever-present demon in the back of her mind surged forward. She kept seeing it, replaying it in her head. His face, the smug grin, the perverted glee. And while Kate had learned to cope, to get help from those most qualified, Max was alone, and the only person she was able to confide in, the only person to give her solace, was not with her.

“How do you know?” Kate asked.

Dana pointed over her shoulder, at Juliet. She stood near the entrance to the dormitories, happily twirling a curl of hair around her finger, swaying a little from side to side. By the looks of it, she was on the phone. “Jules told me,” Dana continued, rolling her eyes. “She was out and about doing her intrepid reporter thing, and _overheard_ Wells talking to someone.” She shrugged, and with a slight pout she looked at Max. “Thought you guys of all people might actually be most excited about it.”

“Why us?” Max responded dryly. “There’s other people in that class too…”

“That’s true,” Kate added. “But if what you say is true too, then that would be great. I’m looking forward to having a new teacher. Mister… That vile man will get what he deserves, and I think having a new teacher quickly will be good for everyone. I for one… I can’t wait for things to go back to normal.”

Much to Max’s dismay, the conversation continued. Making sure to keep her compassion within appropriate bounds, Dana tentatively rubbed Kate’s knee. “I know I already said it,” she said, “but can I just repeat how good it is to see you coping well?”

Kate nodded. “I’m talking to people. It helps.” With a slight smile she glanced at Max. “As does something to look forward to.”

“Kate, plea-”

“Hey Dana!” From the dormitories entrance, Juliet’s louder than necessary voice echoed toward them. The constant interruptions, for Max at least, were more than welcome. This most recent one was no exception. “I’ll be back in a few. Gotta take care of… of you know… something. Just go on without me. I’ll find you later.”

Once more Dana rolled her eyes. “You go girl.” She did not look at her, instead simply giving her a dismissive wave of her hand. “Ugh,” she said, baring her teeth and shuddering. “Sorry about that. She and Zach made up. Hard.”

Kate scrunched up her face, and was quick to bring the conversation back on track. “So… A new teacher you say?”

“Yes!” Dana exclaimed. “Exciting isn’t it? I wonder who he’ll come up with.”

Whereas Kate and Dana began to exchange part theories, part wild ideas, their words began to blur for Max. They transformed into a quiet buzzing in the back of her head, mingling amongst the song of birds and the rustling of leaves. What had begun as a pleasant afternoon, marked mostly by the fact that Chloe’s presence was felt throughout, had turned into something else, something uncomfortable. After more than two hours, the feeling of not belonging had returned.

While the chat to her side continued, Max followed the action out of the corner of her eyes. It was enough to also catch glimpses of the campus, and of what happened next.

With her phone glued to her ear, Juliet hurried to the dorms, hustling up the stairs. As she reached to open the door, clearly lost in thought and preoccupied with Zachary, it flung wide open, almost hitting her square in the face. It was only in the very last split-second that she managed to swerve out of its way, but the damage was done. She stumbled backward, gasped, and in the momentary confusion, her phone slipped out of her hand. Her attempt at catching it was a futile effort.

Exiting the building was none other than Victoria. She stopped dead in her tracks, her expression dazed, her mouth open. To say her look was one of remorse would have been an overstatement, nevertheless she crouched down to help Juliet pick up her phone. However, the latter had something else in mind. “You fucking slut,” she yelled, swatting away Victoria’s hand. “Just fuck off. Leave it be!”

The commotion attracted the interest of Kate and Dana. Both girls whipped around, in turn themselves catching Victoria’s attention. Bewildered and stunned she backed off, her eyes focusing first on Max, then on Kate. The stream of curses thrown her way seemed to not quite reach her, and after staring for a few seconds, her mouth moved as well. She clearly muttered something, though given the distance, and Juliet’s unrelenting anger, no one was able to hear and understand what. Suddenly, as if torn out a trance, she glanced around, and with an unsteady gait she all but tripped down the stairs. She wound her arms around herself and began to run, storming off to ultimately disappear around the corner moments later.

“Yes!” Juliet yelled after her. “Run away! Stupid bitch, it’s all you’re good for anyway!” She gestured wildly, then brought her phone back to her ear. By the looks of it, it had not taken any lasting damage, and thus she too vanished, entering the dormitories with haste.

Unfamiliar with Victoria’s more recent behavior, Kate turned toward Max. “W-what was that about?” she asked. “I’ve never seen Victoria act that way.”

Max let out a long breath. “It certainly wasn’t her fault,” she replied. “At least she didn’t deserve that kind of treatment.”

“Yeah well, Jules isn’t exactly her biggest fan at the moment. You know what she did,” Dana retorted. “Can’t exactly blame her for getting angry. But…” She shuffled closer, softly shaking her head. The smile she had worn ever since her earlier appearance, had waned. “Ugh, I’m can’t believe I’m gonna say this,” she whispered. “But I’m actually starting to worry. She’s acting weird, and to make things worse, Tay is visiting her mother and Courtney isn’t around either. This is actually the first time I’ve seen Vic in like two or three days… At least since…” She nodded at Max. “Since that little incident between you two.”

Kate shot a concerned look at Max. “What? Did something happen?”

“Nothing happened,” Max muttered, pinching her lips together “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“Oh please, girl,” Dana replied. “She clearly has a grudge on you. For god knows what reason. Bet you, she’d have done _something_ if Chloe hadn’t been ready to go after her. That’s not how Victoria Chase acts when there’s nothing.”

“I said, it’s nothing,” Max snapped. “Okay?”

For Kate is was the second time in less than an hour that she heard the same sharpness in one of Max’s replies, and while Dana was visibly baffled, and briefly at a loss for words, she attempted to diffuse the situation. “I know Victoria ist not a nice person,” she said. “But…” She gulped and fumbled with her hands, the words hard to say out loud. “She lost a friend… no matter how twisted and broken he was. Maybe she’s just… lonely and lashing out because of it.”

Following Kate’s words, they were for a series of seconds wrapped in silence and thought. “Well… Yeah… I-if you put it that way,” Dana admitted. “Then it makes sense. Though come on, let’s be honest for a second. She has stepped on so many toes around here that she only has to blame herself if people don’t care.”

“Hmm…” Kate mused.

Dana cocked her head slightly to the side, her eyebrows arching in the same manner. “You’re not seriously thinking about talking to her?”

“No. But I hope she can find peace. People shouldn’t do to her what she did to me,” Kate replied. “Max was right… What Juliet did was not okay, I guess. Even Victoria doesn’t deserve that.”

Nothing had changed. It felt as if every suppressed memory, every held back issue, decided to rear its ugly head—to breach and tear down whatever peace of mind Max had managed to build for herself, their obvious goals. And while Kate and Dana talked, Max unlocked her phone. There was no need, nor a desire for subtlety, and with record speed she began to text Chloe, her fingers nimbly dancing to compose a message.

**_Max:_ ** _hey Chloe. What are you up to?_

She was not sure what to say exactly, but at the same she also did not feel the need to say anything in particular. Above all, she wanted a distraction. She knew Chloe was always quick to reply, and this time was no exception. As soon as she saw the answer was on its way, everything faded, everything grew a little easier.

**_Chloe:_ ** _crying with mom mostly_

**_Chloe:_ ** _why? everything all right? want me to come get you???_

**_Max:_ ** _Crying? Are you okay?_

**_Chloe:_ ** _yeah, just the ush… apologies, life changing stuff, and all that shit_

**_Chloe:_ ** _but what about you? I can be there in 10 if you need me_

**_Max:_ ** _I don’t know. Gimme a few minutes. I just wanted to hear your voice._

**_Chloe:_ ** _we’re texting_

**_Max:_ ** _I know dork. Like this I can hear it anyway. Also I just really miss you_

**_Chloe:_ ** _I miss you too_

**_Chloe:_ ** _weirdo_

“Max? Are you listening?”

There it was again, one of those dreaded questions. With more than a little difficulty, Max tore her gaze away from her phone. She found two pairs of eyes looking at her, one in confusion, the other in worry. Through gritted teeth, she replied. “I’m sorry… But Kate… Can we talk a minute?”

  


#### * * *

  


Frowning, Chloe slid her phone back into her pocket. It was not unlike Max to not reply at once, or even at all, but nevertheless, a quiet sense of discomfort gripped her. She felt something was wrong, but given the possibility that she was mistaken after all, she decided to wait for a little while longer. She trusted Max to keep her word, to let her know of any arising issues—the knowledge that the previous day had left a mark proving to be a blessing in disguise.

Having recovered from their mutual pleas, and yet another breakdown, she and her mother had decided to use the opportunity to spend further quality time together. It was one those things that grown foreign to them, and while they were tidying up the mess left on the kitchen table, Joyce could not help but notice Chloe’s pensive expression.

“Is everything all right?” she asked, ending an awkward silence. Her southern drawl was thick with worry, amplified by what had transpired. She too was, for the most part anyway, lost in thought. “What’s going on honey?”

While in the process of neatly stacking the various brochures and pamphlets on top of each other, Chloe gave her head a faint shake, and her shoulders an even fainter shrug. “Nothing,” she replied. “It’s just… something Max texted.”

Joyce’s eyes were still reddened with tears, what little makeup she wore, smudged. She eased herself back into her chair, wistfully letting her gaze wander over the living room. “I’ve grown so used to having her around these past days, that it feels like something is missing.”

Chloe chuckled. “Yeah… Tell me about it.”

“You’d know, wouldn’t you? You’re practically glued together.” The corner of Joyce’s mouth quirked up into an unsure, almost strained smile. For a couple of moments her eyes followed Chloe, how she once more checked her phone, pausing, before at last continuing to tidy up. “Sweetheart,” she said. “I know you never liked talking about these things, and you don’t have to. But… how are you holding up?”

“W-what do you mean?” Chloe asked, her forehead wrinkling. “Why?”

“I know those looks.” Joyce pulled out the chair next to her, and with the same careful smile she motioned for Chloe to sit down. “I’ve seen them too often. They’re the same one you used to have when Max wasn’t around back when you were younger. When something was wrong.”

In more ways than one Joyce was right. Chloe’s mouth worked, but only stammering noises came out. She had never confided in her mother in such a way, neither when she was a child, nor after she had been forced to grow up. Yet she realized that maybe, in order to be the person Max needed her to be, she in turn needed someone to talk to herself. And so, sighing, she sat down. “There’s just…” she said. “There’s so much shit going on. Like Rachel and… And… you try and deal with one thing, and then along comes the next fucking crap, and… I’m just… I’m afraid of what’s gonna happen next.”

Joyce dragged her chair closer, leaning in to gently place her hand on top of Chloe’s. “I know it’s not something we ever did… But whatever it is, honey you can talk to me. Or about Rachel, or your father…” Compassion tinged her every word. “I’m here for you.”

“I know, mom. But it’s okay. Tomorrow’s gonna be better.” She smiled at the thought. “Max and I, we’re taking a day off to get away from it all. A chill trip, you know?”

“Road trip?”

“Yeah, kinda.” Chloe began to chew on her lower lip, glancing around. Her eyes drifted to the kitchen, to the hallway, to the garden, never staying in one place for too long, as if she was searching for hidden answers. Talking to her mother, maintaining and furthering the relationship—she had come to savor these moments of normality, she wanted to expand them, to rid herself of those unnecessary secrets she loathed, and struggled to keep anyhow.

One secret in particular.

“Can I tell you something?,” she asked. “A-and please don’t tell Max I told you, she’ll probably freak if you do…” She waited, receiving a solemn nod for an answer. “But… It’s about Max and… well me. We’re…ugh… we’re... I… Fucking hell I thought this would be easier.”

“Chloe,” Joyce said. She smiled, and gave Chloe’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s all right. I know.”

“You-” A sudden rush of adrenaline surged through Chloe’s body. She was at a loss for words. It was not something she was used to, and it took her several seconds to process. “W-wait…” she stammered. “Y-you know about us being…”

Again Joyce nodded. “I do. I’ve known for a while.”

The initial shock turned to confusion, and as it did, Chloe collapsed into her chair, slouching. Her breathing hitched. “How…” She tried, but failed at producing even the semblance of a coherent sentence. “When?”

“Please, honey,” Joyce replied, sounding almost offended. “I was your age once. It’s hard to believe, I know, but… Those looks between you and Max? The ones you give each other when you think no one’s watching? I know those too.” She twisted around, and pointed at the row of photo albums on the nearby shelf. “They’re all over those. They’re the same ones I used to give your father.”

Despite everything, Chloe managed a small, yet amused smile. “That obvious, huh?”

“Yes.” There was something incredibly soothing and gentle about Joyce’s tone, laden with nostalgia, and topped off with a pinch of melancholy. As if she had to make a point, she stood up, scurrying over to the shelf to retrieve one of the albums in question. However, she did not sit back down, instead hesitating. “Do you mind?” she asked, nodding at the volume she was holding.

“No, it’s okay” Chloe replied. Her tone did not exude confidence, but she forced a chuckle. “Gonna show me pics of you and dad making out? If so… please don’t.”

“Don’t worry. You’re safe.” Joyce’s eyes were bright, any trace of tears having vanished. When she returned to the table, it was with an unhurried pace, and with the pondering air she laid down the album. “Bill always used to say that I looked at him with the subtlety of a fourth of July fireworks display. It’s a mouthful, but I’d say it’s the same between you and Max.”

“So, very obvious…”

“ _Yes._ ” Joyce opened the album. “Here, see for yourself.”

While her mother began to thumb through the pages, Chloe’s stomach began to churn. It was a feeling not unlike stage fright. The pictures she saw were of days and happiness long gone, but with each new page, and each passing minute, Chloe more and more understood what her mother had meant. Every look, every glance, every smile—she recognized all of them. After all, she saw them every day. And as the minutes went on, she realized something else, something calming. The silence between them did not stem from a lack of interest, but rather the opposite. She was given the time she needed, the time to continue the conversation at her own pace, and she seized that time, waiting for the last page to be turned.

“So yeah,” she said at last. “Mom? Max and I, we’re girlfriends.” She laughed. “Guess I’ve really been struggling to hide it…”

“You and Max both. But… I’m happy for you two,” Joyce replied. She set aside the album, opting to devote her full attention to Chloe. “If there’s one person I don’t mind seeing you with, then it’s Max. And if it’s my approval you seek, you more than have it. You know Max is like a second daughter to me.”

Chloe chuckled. “Don’t make it weird.”

“All I’m saying is, I know that she makes you happy. I do think that you must be taking things very fast, given that she has been back in your life for what? Two weeks now, at most?” In answer to the doubtful look her words fell upon, Joyce was quick to elaborate. “I only say this because I want you to be careful. Don’t hurt each other because you’re trying to make up for something. Because in the end it makes sense to see you two together. It’s not like she’s some random girl.”

“She’s not.” Even now her lips trembled in an insecure smile. And though it felt like chains would tie her to her every word, she realized her mother knew regardless. “I love her.”

“Then you take care of her. Because the Max Caulfield I’ve been seeing these past days, is not the Max Caulfield I remember,” Joyce said. “The one I do remember didn’t have those dark circles under her eyes every morning, and all those… headaches and other excuses. She didn’t scream and yell like that, she didn’t have those mood swings. I’m worried.”

Whatever smile Chloe had carried with her, whatever respite she had felt moments earlier, vanished without a trace. She scooted to the very edge of her seat. “You heard that yesterday?”

“Chloe… Everybody did.”

“Fuck…” She rested her elbows on the table, hiding her face behind her hands. Her shoulders sagged, and her heart followed suit. “It’s her parents. She was yelling at her parents,” she explained. Weariness was all she could muster. “They want her to go back home, but she doesn’t want to, and…” With a loud thud her hands fell flat on the table. She looked at her mother with haunted gloom, her expression carrying the same fear and desperation she had felt the day before. “And I’m afraid they’re just gonna take her away again. Mom, I-I… I don’t want her to leave again. And I just… We don’t know what to do.”

The news was a shock to Joyce, an explanation for her daughter’s behavior. On the outside, her poise remained unwavering, though beneath those defenses, she felt the same chest-tightening sensation. If Max were gone, Chloe would crash into a pit of despair so deep, the hurt, the pain, it would tear her apart for good. It was not something she dared think about. “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked, not wasting a second thought. With the same urgency, she secured Chloe’s hand within her own. “Anything?”

“I don’t know. I just…” Chloe drew in a long breath, letting it hiss out slowly. Each beat of her heart thumped heavier than the last, pushing hard against her chest. “She actually texted them yesterday… after we came back home. Apologized and told them that she’ll call when she’s ready.”

“And?” Joyce asked softly.

All Chloe managed was a half-hearted shrug. “They want her to be ready now. They think that… She should be far away from Arcadia, Blackwell… She should be somewhere normal. I think that’s what they said.”

Carefully, Joyce weighed her words. “I don’t want to play devil’s advocate, and I certainly don’t want her to leave either. But can you really blame them? Whatever is going on with her… Can you really say it’s not going to do her some good?”

“ _Fuck_ what they think. You’ve heard her! She wants to stay. That’s all they should give a shit about. If they don’t listen to her… You of all people should know what that’s gonna do to a family…” The words, harsh as they were, had barely reached Joyce’s ears when Chloe began to regret them. She bit hard on her bottom lip, her head lowered, shaking violently. “I’m sorry mom… I’m just…I’m afraid.”

“No. You’re right,” Joyce replied. The sting of Chloe’s frustration was piercing, but the time to dwell non-existent. “I did a lot of things wrong. I know that, and want to talk about it. Among other things we never got to talk about.”

Chloe willed a flat smile. It disappeared promptly. “Not today, mom.”

“I know.” Chloe’s strained stare, the way she made herself smaller as she tried to avoid meeting her eyes, Joyce had seen it all before. Her little girl. She reached to her, to cup her chin, to meet her eyes, and she could not help but smile as once more Chloe squirmed away.

After all, she was still her daughter.

“I know you’re afraid,” Joyce continued. “Like I said, I know those looks. And I can’t promise that everything will turn out fine, you know that, but I can tell you what you should do.” Hope. Immediately she saw a glimmer of hope. “You and Max? Go on your trip tomorrow. Take a breath. Recharge those batteries, you more than deserve it. Then… Whenever you come back, you sit down together, and you call them. Talk to them, calmly. Explain that there are people here who care for her, explain to them that she lives with us, that she has friends she doesn’t want to leave, and who don’t want her to leave. But most importantly, tell them about yourselves, about your relationship. It may not be easy, but be honest, and be open. I don’t remember Ryan and Vanessa being too unreasonable. If you talk to them like normal people, they’ll understand. But yelling and screaming at them? I can guarantee you, that’s only going to make things worse.”

It was with a slow nod that Chloe answered. She did not do so outright, her face at first growing vague with thought. When, after many seconds, she remained silent, Joyce stood up. Offering Chloe a smile, she extended her unbroken arm, an unspoken act of kindness and love. One that Chloe accepted without delay. She lurched upward, all but throwing herself at her mother, again quietly nodding, melting into the embrace.

“Thank you,” she whispered, and for the second time that afternoon, she felt the by now familiar prickling of tears. She swallowed, yet at last her smile returned as well. “I love you.”

After all, she was still her mother’s little girl.

  


#### * * *

  


“Kate, like I said, it’s not because of what you said, or what Dana said,” Max explained as she slung her bag over her shoulder. “It’s just…” Her thoughts trailed off. Beneath the tree they had sat but a few minutes ago, Dana started to gather up her flyers. They had already said their goodbyes, yet as awkward as they were, they were met with understanding. The same understanding Kate had shown for the past hours. “You were right,” she continued. “Earlier. There’s something I can’t stop thinking about, but I don’t know how to talk about it. And I feel like if I stay I’m just gonna lash out or say something I regret. And I don’t want that.”

Nervously Kate shuffled her feet, willing her eyes to meet Max’s, even as they sought the ground. “It’s okay,” she said. “Two weeks ago I felt the same. I didn’t want to talk to anyone… I didn’t know how. But then you came to save me.” She placed a hand on Max’s arm, gently. “So I don’t blame you. But like I said, don’t make the same mistakes I did.”

Across the yard, squirrels continued to play and squabble, Dana began to hang up flyers, and somewhere inside the dormitories, Juliet and Zachary complained about Victoria. Little by little the afternoon had grown old. And, almost three hours after she had arrived at Kate’s dorm room, a genuine smile returned to Max’s face. “You know… This may not have ended the way we hoped,” she said. “But I don’t regret coming. We had fun, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, we had.” Kate nodded. Her expression softened, and she too felt a sense of renewed levity. “Evil fat squirrels…”

“Otters with blue beanies...”

“Hungry bunnies…”

“And…” Max slid her hand into her pocket, retrieving her phone. What she had not done before, she did now. A message containing a picture, one she and Kate had taken for Chloe, one to remember the day by, now owned by both. “A good time with a friend.”

Kate chuckled, and somewhat awkwardly she twisted to point at the dormitories. “My… uh… my phone is in my room still. But thank you.” Her face lit up. “Today has been great. Best day I had in a long time.”

“Yeah,” Max agreed, nodding. “Hands down.”

Kate smiled. “So… Text later?”

“Of course, I’d love that. And, before I go-” Just as awkwardly as Kate had acted moments before, Max opened her arms. As wide as possible. “Goodbye hug?”

“Always,” Kate laughed. She was more than happy to take her up on the offer, and even though it lasted longer than a parting hug needed to, both girls were content, and determined to end the afternoon on a positive note. “And have fun with Chloe tomorrow, okay?” she said as they pulled apart in unison.

“I will. Promise. After all, it’s our first date.” She breathed a satisfied sigh. The fresh air, the warm sun, and most of all the thought of what was to come, it all invigorated her. “Just us. Together.”

And so, step by step Max began to back away. She waved goodbye, tamely so at first, but enough to nonetheless convey her gratitude. It was only once she reached the edge of the yard, but still before she turned around to text Chloe, and still before Kate was about to head off herself, that she called out to her for the last time that day. “And Kate?”

“Yes?”

“Same time next week?”


	21. The Doe And The Butterfly – Part I

  


####  _The Road To Nowhere_

  


“Hey… Wake up.” The words were whisper-soft, melting into quiet. “It’s time.”

Blue fingernails skimmed over bare skin, tracing tiny shapes up and down a slender arm. The touch was light, barely there in fact, yet… it was enough. Max’s eyes fluttered, opening, closing, consciousness still caught in that muddy half-realm between slumber and wakefulness. Second after second passed, then a long and drawn-out groan. With laziness she rolled over, clawing handfuls of bedsheet close to her chin—nothing but the droopiest of expressions, the blue of her eyes, and her ruffled locks, peeked out.

The room was dimly lit, the sole source of light emanating from a dying bulb. It was however enough. Enough the see the most beautiful smile beaming down at her.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Another whisper. Chloe sat on the edge of the bed, on what had become Max’s side. She had been there for a while, leaned over the sleeping form of her girlfriend, using one hand to support herself, the other to caress, to soothe away those frightful tremors she had come to bear witness to in days past.

“It’s time,” she said again.

Slumber stuck to Max, and she blinked, slowly, recognition dawning. “I’m sorry I fell asleep on you yesterday,” she whispered in a sleep-clogged voice, clutching the bed sheets tighter, sinking further into the mattress.

“Yeah. Kinda literally actually.” Chloe took large, slow, savoring breaths, her look one of yearning. And while Max struggled to keep her eyes open, she felt a flutter in her stomach, the anticipation of what was to come. “I know it’s early,” she said. “And I know you’re tired, and hell… I’d love to crawl back into bed with you… But we said we’d leave first thing in the morning.” She scooted a little to the side, allowing Max a glimpse of the window by the desk, and of what lay beyond. “And it’s first thing in the morning.”

The world was veiled by darkness still, yet on the very cusp of the horizon, above the distant woods, a pinkish hue trickled into the sky. It was a new day, a new dawn, and with it, Max began to smile. “It’s really happening, is it?” she said. “A day just for us.”

There was no need for Chloe to say or do anything, after all, they both knew the answer. And although she tried to appreciate the beauty of the waking world, her eyes were instead drawn to waking beauty in her bed. She leaned forward, hand running through Max’s hair as she pressed a kiss to her forehead, no more than an inch between their faces. “Did you at least get some sleep last night?”

Abrasive, grating—over the years many words had been used to describe Chloe, by many people, though none of them ever came close to the truth. Caring, loving, protective to a fault, that was the real Chloe Price, the one only a select couple of people ever saw. The one Max had the privilege of seeing every single day.

“Some. The usual,” Max replied eventually. She could have lied, she could have embellished it, but neither did she wish to, nor was there a point to it. Chloe would have been able to tell. And so, at long last, she slipped out from under the covers, dragging herself over to sit next to her. Cold air hit her barely covered legs, and she huddled close, seeking warmth. “What about you? You must have been up early.”

“I was.” Chloe nodded. “Got up like an hour ago.”

“An hour ago?”

Chloe shrugged, grinning just a little. “Yeah. Wanted to let you sleep as long as possible. Got some things ready in the meantime…” Her hand found its way to Max’s thigh, and since she was sat right next to her, she gave her shoulder a light nudge. “Also the excitement I guess. But nothing a shower couldn’t help with.”

Strained was the smile tugging at Max’s lips, a little less hearty than expected the chuckle she responded with. It was far from apathy, but nonetheless it earned Chloe’s concern. “Hey… What’s going on?” she asked. “Thought you’d be smiling a little more this morning.”

“I’m fine,” Max replied. As had become the norm, one without exceptions, such an answer was met with a look towing the line between worry and sternness. “I mean it,” she assured, giving Chloe a nudge in return. “I promise.”

“Hmm…” Adding some slight pressure, Chloe brushed her thumb over a mole just above Max’s knee. She had her doubts, and she voiced them. “Then what’s going on? Come on, I know that face.”

Max smiled, a fleeting moment before she willed her eyes to look at Chloe’s hand. Gingerly she clasped it within her own. “Nothing gets past you, huh?”

“It’s a terrible burden.”

Thoughts passed through Max’s mind like heavy clouds of rain, excitement dipped in shadows. “It’s nothing,” she said at last. “Really. It’s just… weird I guess. Or kinda sad actually.” She shook her head, gaze lowered still. “We keep calling this our first date, but you know what it really is?” The answer followed forthwith, before Chloe even had the faintest chance of uttering a reply. “It’s a normal day. It’s what we wanted. Our first normal day in _five years_. And at some point our lives took such a turn that even a normal day is anything… except normal. Not for us at least.”

The words hung in the air, gnawing at them both, but Chloe disagreed. With gentle care she pulled Max’s hand into her lap. “I get what you’re saying,” she replied. “And stop me if I’m going all super deep and shit on you… But today is special because it is… yeah, normal. It’s special because we’re gonna make this the best damn normal day there has ever been. It’s special because it’s our day!” There was passion rising behind each word, behind each syllable, and with similar enthusiasm Chloe jumped up. Spinning around, she took hold of both of Max’s hands, pulling her to her feet. With a smile bright as the midday sun she continued.

“Everything is possible today. We gonna go out there, we’re gonna grab the world by its balls and make it our bitch, we’re gonna flip off the fucking universe all the way through, and we’re gonna be happy! Because today is ours. Because nothing will come between us and it. Because like you said…” She paused, taking a step forward for emphasis. “We’ve waited five years for this.”

A beat of silence, an incredulous stare, a heavy breath, another, and another, all until Max coughed out a quiet bout of laughter. It was an admittedly weird and unforeseen reaction, but the frown it received was promptly wiped away when she threw herself into Chloe’s arms, leaning against her chest. “It’s going to be beautiful,” she said softly, voice muffled. “Our first date.”

“Yeah. Feels right saying it, doesn’t it?” Chloe replied, cradling the back of her head. “Like we’ve been here before, like it’s something natural. Like this is where we should be.”

They held each other close, each stare, each gaze, each minor look brimming with love. All of them were a form communication in and of themselves. Max did not have to be guarded around Chloe, and vice versa. And when she looked up into those blue irises, their color more vivid than ever, Max reached to brush away a rogue strand of hair, lightly biting her bottom lip as she did. It was a special bond they shared, from one form of love to another, allowing for a quiet understanding between them.

“I’m gonna take a shower and get dressed, okay?” she whispered.

“Okay.” Chloe lowered her forehead to Max’s. Their noses touched, if only barely. “I’ll be waiting outside. Don’t be late.”

Small hands grazed slightly larger ones, fingers slipping through each other, and lacing together as Max and Chloe separated. They did not kiss, yet even so an invisible force fought to hold them together. Small step by small step Max backed off, turning around only when at last the grasp keeping them linked faded to nothing. The door squeaked as she opened it but a gap wide, fingers curled around the frame. She offered a last look, a last smile, before she then disappeared from view, and into the dark hallway.

Five, six, seven steps was all it took for her to slip in the bathroom. Even in total darkness she found the light switch, so familiar had living under the same roof become. The air was still thick and steamy, the mirror still fogged up, and the smell of Chloe’s shampoo and soap lingered.

T-shirt, sleep shorts and underwear dropped to the floor. Stark naked she sat on the cold edge of the bathtub, waiting for the pouring water to reach an agreeable temperature. It was one of little those quirks, belonging to what she still considered to be the Price household, and not the Madsen one — the water had the tendency of either being scalding hot, or ice cold, but rarely something midway in between the two. Like so many other things, it was a quirk which over the years had not changed.

By the time the water was neither boiling nor freezing, Max was already drenched to the bone. The warmth washed away yet another night hounded by bad dreams and worse memories, and as it dripped down her face and body, little by little she began to feel invigorated, little by little sleep lost. Nevertheless, or maybe because, she tarried longer than she needed to.

Having blow-dried her hair, brushed her teeth, and discarded her clothes in the laundry basket, she wrapped a towel around herself, albeit doing so with more than slight self-consciousness. Quickly, before leaving the bathroom to tip-toe back to Chloe’s room, she threw a peek down the hallway, and out of the window at the end of it. Dawn had turned into twilight, and she wished to waste as little time as possible.

Chloe was indeed gone, and so Max had the room to herself. For a moment, and mostly so out of instinct, she reached for her more casual, and everyday kind of clothes. But, as she had to remind herself, it was anything but an everyday kind of day. Something more special was in order.

By now most of her wardrobe had made the move from her room at Blackwell, to Chloe’s closet, and it stood in stark contrast to the latter’s usual contents. She had never been the type to pay much attention to her clothes, or even her appearance in general, opting to stay true to herself rather than imitating someone she was not. But things had changed. She had found love, and over the past days she had been called many things; beautiful, cute and gorgeous among them. Yet at the same time she carried with her deep-seated insecurities. The very insecurities which had kept her from dropping the towel until she had been decent underneath, the very insecurities which reared their ugly heads whenever she looked at herself in the mirror, seeing not a young woman, but… something else. Something not deserving of those various monikers given to her by Chloe.

So it was that, when catching a glimpse of herself in Chloe’s makeup mirror, her brows knitted together in a frown. Her hair had grown shaggy, her bangs overgrown, by account of her having been both too preoccupied, and too anxious to seek out a local hair salon. As children, she and Chloe had on occasion cut their hair themselves, much to their own amusement, but also to equal dismay of their parents. It was something she was sure Chloe did to this day. Maybe it was something they could do again, she thought.

Regardless, wanting to look her best for once, for Chloe, made her push aside her reservations and insecurities, and as an idea crossed her mind, so did a smile cross her lips. Full of barely contained excitement she began to rifle through the top most drawer, in a search which soon proved successful. Using a blue hairband, one of Chloe’s, she tied her hair up in a short ponytail, while still making sure to keep her beloved bangs intact. It was a small change, not exactly a subtle one, but still benign enough for her to be at ease with herself.

It was with similar enthusiasm that she applied an understated layer of eye-shadow and eye-liner, a splash of perfume — surprising herself more and more in the process — before at last slipping into a pair of grey jeans, a cerulean colored t-shirt, and a dark blazer. The outfit was topped off by her usual sneakers, and for once Max could not help but grin as she looked at herself, going so far as to do a little twirl.

She was more than satisfied.

She was happy.

In the end, there was only one thing left for her to do. She grabbed her camera, her phone, though not before turning it off, then slipped both into her bag, slinging the latter over her shoulder as she made her way out of Chloe’s room, down the stairs, and ultimately out of the house.

Most of all, she was ready for the day to begin.

The morning air she breathed was crisp and fresh, fragrant with overnight dewfall. It was early still, and now a thin layer of fog clung to Arcadia Bay, settling down upon the streets. Shining beyond the mists was the outline of the rising sun, and the pink tinted sky. But what Max savored the most was something else altogether, something mundane almost. It was the quiet, the absolute stillness of a sleeping town, the calmness far away from the rush of day.

Someone else however seemed not to share those feelings. Chloe was pacing up and down the length of her car, muttering something under her breath as she fidgeted with her keys, eyes glued to the ground. She did not notice the front door close, and it was only when Max cleared her throat, daintily so, that she stopped. Startled she twisted around, and she could not suppress an audible gasp. Her keys dropped to the ground, followed by her jaw seconds later. “Holy shit…” she muttered. “ _Holy shit_.”

The feeling was mutual, the reaction equal. Because while Max had been in the shower, Chloe had gotten changed as well.

She had chosen to wear a pair of dark-blue, and rather form fitting jeans which highlighted the length of her legs. A black and blue flannel button-up, tucked in at the front, with its sleeves rolled up to her elbows, completed her attire. Gone were the dangling suspenders, gone were the loose tank tops she so very much liked to wear, gone were the rips and holes in her jeans. Not every trace of her punk-self had been erased though, much to Max’s pleasure. Cleaned and seemingly polished, she still wore her usual boots, as well as her beanie, and draped over the side of the truck was her trademarked leather jacket. In the same vein, her necklace remained, the three bullets nestled somewhere in her cleavage, yet more notably, it was joined by a simple black choker.

All in all she was stunning, and Max speechless.

“So, uhm…” Chloe scrambled to pick up her keys, all but tripping over her own feet as she did. When she gazed at Max it seemed as though she did not quite know what to do with her face, and if her beanie had not been hiding them, Max would have gotten more than a glimpse of her red-hot ears. “Y-you, uh…” she stammered. “Y-you look really nice. Like uh... I-I mean you look beautiful.”

 _Beautiful_ , there it was again. It felt different though, this time. A good different, as Max thought, the words spoken with scarcely hidden adoration and a nervousness which put at ease even the last of her doubts. “I’m glad you like it,” she replied, closing what little distance remained between them. “You uh… you’re really pretty yourself. I-I like the shirt, and…” She motioned at her own neck. “That uh… that choker.”

Chloe stood tall, yet she shoved her hands into her pockets, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “You like it?” she asked. She sounded surprised. “I-I wasn’t quite sure what… you know... w-what you’d like. Kinda just picked stuff at random. Hope I didn’t drop the ball…”

“No, no, not at all,” replied Max. “It’s really nice actually. And I can still see… Well I can still see you. You look great.”

Smiles were traded, surprisingly flustered on one side, surprisingly confident on the other. When her eyes willed to look away, Chloe instead flipped her focus to Max’s lips, though only for a moment. She hesitated, and removed her hands from her pockets again. The urge to thread her fingers through Max’s hair was overpowering, the desire to touch, to feel as close as possible thrilling and formidable. Soon she gave in. “I know I’m repeating myself… But wow… You’re gorgeous. Even more so than usual,” she said, calmer now, and with unreached sincerity. “And that’s saying something.”

Chloe had done it. A light crimson flush crept up Max’s cheeks. “Look at us, huh?” she said with a soft chuckle.

“Yeah. Look at us.”

Again there was no real need for them to talk, but in that very moment they realized one and the same thing. It was the dawn of their first date, a normal day, yet much more so it was the first time in five years, the first time in their lives even, that could act the age they now were. Hard shells, confidence issues and life-altering events aside, they were teenagers, insecure for their own reasons, and head over heels in love.

They were captivated by one another, by the morning and the occasion, and Chloe still wore that same coy smile when she extended her hand a moment later. It was playful, maybe a little overdramatic, but Max did not need to be asked twice. She loved it, and she loved what followed next just as much. Hand in hand they walked to the truck, led there by Chloe, who, almost acting as if Max were a princess about to enter a magical carriage, helped her climb in, all while keeping their fingers interwoven.

Inside, Max was met by a pleasant surprise. Usually the truck was about as far removed from something out of a fairy tale as it could be, but for once it looked the part. While Chloe skipped around the back to grab her jacket, Max could only smile, her eyes wandering. It was not a sweeping change by any means, but the general lack of trash on the dashboard, the oversized blue blanket hiding the patched upholstery, and the air freshener dangling from the rear view mirror, were enough to lend the interior a comfortable atmosphere.

On the driver’s side, the door soon flung open as well. Without delay Chloe noticed Max’s intrigued expression, which only grew more intense as she hauled in not only her jacket, but also a ragged old backpack and a cooler bag.

“Where did those come from?” asked Max.

“Had them in the back,” Chloe explained matter-of-factly, climbing in herself. Grunting, she set down the two items in question, placing them on the floor next to the gearshift, and for the most part out of the way. “Wasn’t quite sure where to keep them, but this is probably better.”

“Uh-huh.”

“What?” Chloe shrugged. Her grin was a mile wide. “Told you I was excited.”

“I can tell,” Max replied, running her hands over the blue blanket adorning the seats. It was thick and fuzzy, the kind of cover they used as kids to build their various forts and hideouts with. “You know,” she continued, her tone more serious. “You didn’t have to do all that. I don’t mind the mess, or the holes in the seats, or the cigarette smell. I love you for who you are, messy side and all.”

Chloe’s cheeks tinged a bit. Max had never seen her this flustered, this unsure of herself, this… endearing. “You’re right,” she said, “I didn’t have to. But… I wanted to. Not about to cart you around in a fucking garbage bin.”

A general air of nervousness enveloped them, with subdued laughs sounding through the cabin, first from Max, then from Chloe. Max did not know what they were waiting for, but for some reason they were still stationary. As if she had read her mind, Chloe began to fumble with her car keys and words alike, sliding the former into the ignition, without however turning it on.

“So… uhm..,” she said, “before we go, there’s two things I wanna do.”

“Okay?” In the midst of eagerly putting on her seat belt, Max shot her a confused look. “What is it?”

“Well… I wanna set some ground rules for today,” Chloe said, her voice a pinch quieter. “So no talk about… Storms, or funerals, or nightmares, or whatever shit is going on.” She sighed the words more than she spoke them. “As soon as we leave this town, I want us to leave our problems here. Like we said we would. Because… well ‘cause they’re still gonna be there when we come back.”

Max acknowledged the request with a solemn nod, and it was with a certain wistful expression that she cast her gaze ahead into the misty road. One by one the street lamps turned dark, like beacons of light being extinguished. “Of course. After all… this isn’t just a date.”

“Yeah…” Another heaving sigh escaped Chloe. It was clear she did not enjoy being the one to put a dent into their otherwise great moods, and so, just as fast as she had brought the topic into the fore, she changed it once more. “Anyway, now that that’s out of the way,” she said, shaking her head and putting her hands on the steering wheel. “I said I have two things right?”

“Right…” Max nodded. “You did.”

“Well then.” With a nod Chloe motioned toward the glove compartment. “There’s a little something in there for you.” Even that sly and taunting grin she so often loved to torment Max with, made its slow return. It was met by furrowed brows. “Come on _._ Open it.”

With a little more apprehension than necessary, a circumstance she was soon to realize, Max did as Chloe suggested. She leaned forward to peer inside, and but a brief moment later a veritable storm of emotions flashed across her face. Stashed inside the glove box were two small cardboard packages, which she immediately recognized as containing film for her camera. “H-how… how did you know?” she asked, eyes darting back and forth between Chloe and the glovebox. “When did you get these?”

“Last week when we made the wall?” Chloe replied. “You mentioned you barely had any left, so I looked up which one you needed, and ordered some as soon as the power was back.” She slouched backward, smiling and savoring Max’s reaction. “Just ask mom. Practically had to beg for her credit card.”

“Oh Chloe…” It came out more wail than spoken sentence. “You… You didn’t have to do that. These are so expensive…”

“You’re my girlfriend.”

“Yeah but…”

“But nothing.” Despite her objection, Max looked like a kid on Christmas. Her glee filled Chloe with the same unmistakable fuzziness, her lover’s happiness not unlike a drug all too rarely administered. “I had to,” she continued, “because we said we wanted to — Oof!” She gasped, the sound resonating through the truck’s cabin.

After fumbling to undo her seat belt, Max had all but jumped at Chloe, enveloping her in a hug so crushing it felt as if the air was being squeezed right out of her lungs. Using all her strength Chloe braced herself to keep her head from hitting the window, but even so the truck rocked from the impact. And whereas Max found herself stretched half-way across the seat, and right where she needed to in order to unleash a flurry of kisses, Chloe scrambled for breath, nevertheless managing to cough out a laugh. “Whoa! Max!” she exclaimed. “Guess I know the way to your heart now!”

Max wasted no time to reply. “Oh you shut up!” she said, half giggling, but wholly nuzzling Chloe’s cheek. “You know damn well how much this means to me. I actually kept myself from taking pictures because I wanted to use what little film I had left for today… But now we can remember this day forever.”

“Yep, exactly. Also since I could never take pictures like you do,” Chloe replied, a softer quality to her voice. “I _had_ to buy these, I just had to. Even if I didn’t know about today when I did.”

It was then that Max realized something. “They’re not just for me,” she noted as she rested her forehead against Chloe’s temple, her heart racing. “They’re for us.”

Chloe nodded. “Just promise me one thing?”

“Anything. You name it.”

“Use them. All of them if you have to. Because we haven’t really had the chance to make those new memories we talked about. Every day it was some other shit and... When I look at our wall I only see how it hasn’t changed so far. And it’s high time we got to it because…” She swallowed, and had to avert her gaze. Anywhere, everywhere, it did not matter, the blue of Max’s eyes a daunting challenge to meet. “Because we might not have much-”

As soon as she understood, Max cupped Chloe’s face in her hand, her thumb gently grazing over her cheekbone. “Hey… Shhh. I know what you’re saying,” she whispered. A vulnerability seldom witnessed lay beneath that hard exterior, old fears having been rattled loose. Old fears neither truly wished to talk about, not in this moment, not on this day. “But what happened to our first rule? Or did you forget already?”

A mild smile passed over Chloe’s lips, then returned. Given the thoughts coursing through her mind, it was something only Max could achieve. “Those only count once we’re out of here. Didn’t you listen baby?”

Max snorted. “ _Baby?_ ”

“Yeah.” Turning her head at last, Chloe brushed her lips against Max’s as she spoke. “ _Baby_. Pet names and all that jazz. Also you called me buttercup just a few days ago. So fair’s fair.”

“I stand by that.”

“And I by this.”

Max was not sure whether to chuckle, or to scrunch her nose in disgust. A moment of deliberation later she did both. “Seems like I’m gonna have to get used to that one,” she mumbled.

“Oh,” Chloe said, nudging her, “don’t act like you don’t like it.”

It took Max all her force of will not to roll her eyes, though not as much to keep herself from shaking her head, and even less to wipe the bemused grin off her face. “Baby… Ugh.”

For the span of a dozen heartbeats, then a dozen more, they remained huddled together, as they had been since Max’s love-driven assault. While one mulled over the choice of nickname, the other simply smirked and reached for the keys dangling from the ignition. The world grew brighter by the minute, the fog, though not visible to them, thinning out alongside. They both knew it was time.

“So... You ready to get this show on the road?”

“Yes,” Max replied. She slunk away, but she did not return to the passenger side seat. Instead, she simply rested her head on Chloe’s shoulder, clutching both her bag and the film for her camera close to her chest. “I’m so ready.”

The engine sprang to life, the old truck ready to ferry them away to an as of yet unknown, albeit hoped-filled destination. Southward, northward, inland—it did not matter where. Soon their carriage carved a path through that misty veil hiding the world, down an empty street, and out of sleeping Arcadia Bay. On the road to nowhere. On the road to somewhere.

  


####  _Simple Moments, Simple Truths_

  


Just as fast as the truck had barreled through thick forests and down oceanside roads, it lurched to a halt again. Or so Max thought. After all, she could not be entirely sure, given that the sudden shift in motion had caused in her a similarly sudden shift in consciousness. In other words, it was for the second time that morning that her eyes fluttered open.

“I sure hope you’re not gonna keep falling asleep on me,” she heard Chloe say with an audible smile and fake annoyance. “Makes for shitty company.”

Grumbling something under her breath, something which could only be interpreted as a groggy “ _Shut Up,_ ” Max rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Slowly she came to find her bearings. She was still snuggled up to Chloe, her head nestled against a familiar flannel-covered shoulder, her arms tightly wound around her bag. When she stirred to look around, the first thing she saw was Chloe’s half-smile, half-grin. There were worse things to wake up to.

“Also…” Chloe yanked the keys out of the ignition, twirling them around her fingers as she slumped toward the backrest again. “Has anyone ever told you how freakin’ adorable you look when you’ve just woken up?”

Again Max grumbled and whined, but this time she followed up her would-be words with a series of weak punches aimed at Chloe’s arm, half of which failed to actually connect. Then, without warning, she felt those very arms snake around her waist, and, wiry yet deceptively strong as they were, she was dragged straight onto Chloe’s lap.

“Ha!” Chloe exclaimed, triumphantly. “Got you!”

“Ahh! Chloe!” Max shrieked and squealed, kicked and flailed at the air, but to no avail, the hold only grew tighter. “Let me go! Chloe! Come on!” She pleaded to the best of her abilities, yet in secret she loved every moment of it. “Chloe!”

“No, never! You’re mine! I’m never gonna let you go!” As if to make a point, Chloe began peppering her neck with kisses, from ear to collarbone no spot remained unloved. With each kiss Max’s protests died down more and more, though in their place her ticklish nature took over. She devolved into all-out roar of laughter, squirming in Chloe’s lap, and generally enjoying herself. It was a circumstance Chloe was not about to waste. She kept up her playful attacks, kissing and tickling, all until Max all but lay there on her lap, panting, exhausted, but also fully awake again.

It was only then that Max was able to seize the opportunity to take in her surroundings. While she shook off her daze, Chloe rested her chin on her shoulder, grinning like an overly eager Cheshire cat waiting for a reaction.

At first, Max could have indeed sworn they were still in Arcadia Bay, so familiar it all looked. A small, gravel-covered parking lot, empty for the most part, encompassed by hulking conifers and colorful maples, was the first thing she saw. It was a clearing, that much was certain. Sun glinted through the canopies, and when Max shifted to glance out of the back, she caught sight of a narrow trail leading to what seemed the edge of the forest.

“Where are we?” she asked at last, gasping for breath still, her eyes continuing to search for any indication of their whereabouts.

“Crescent Cove,” replied Chloe, her tone bubbly.

Max’s face contorted. Her expression flashed with confusion. “Crescent Cove?”

“Yep.” Chloe nodded. Little by little her hold on Max eased, though the latter seemed either too lost in thought, or too comfortable to take advantage. Either way, Chloe was not one to complain. “You heard right. Crescent Cove.”

“We haven’t been here in—” Promptly Max interrupted herself, and breathed a heavy sigh. It was a sigh originating from deep within her lungs, following the realization of where they were, and why they were there in the first place. Her confused look transformed into a smile, and she shifted in Chloe’s lap, then said, “We haven’t been here in ages.”

“Seven years ago, almost. We were still in sixth grade,” elaborated Chloe. “I uh... I hope you’re not disappointed.”

“No,” Max replied, shaking her head. “Why would I be?”

“Well…” Chloe hesitated, and tucked her face back in the crook of Max’s neck. Traces of a light floral perfume entertained her nose, mingling with Max’s natural scent to create a pleasant, intoxicating blend. Before continuing she took a breath, a mental note of sorts. “Honestly I didn’t know where to drive to. Kinda wanted to go for Portland briefly, but then I thought this would be nice as well. Somewhere quiet where no one knows our names so to speak. Also it’s not that far. No need to spend hours in the car.”

“Chloe, this is perfect,” Max assured her. “Just us, that’s what we’ve been saying anyway. And we used to love coming here. So I’m sure this will be beautiful. Don’t worry.”

A lonesome leaf, bright red, swayed through the air, carried by the breeze until it settled down on the hood of the truck. Beyond the trees, a few hundred feet off, a couple of heavy-duty trucks thundered down a road. Inside the cab, those things did not matter. Smiles were exchanged once more, and gently Chloe rubbed Max’s arm, an appreciative gesture as the two of them gazed out into the woods, the latter releasing a shudder as she felt soft lips press firmly on the nape of her neck moments later.

“You know… For years I used to have this picture of us and dad hanging next to my bed,” continued Chloe. “Woke up to it every morning. Reminded me of a lot of things… One of them was how we always loved hiking up that old trail to the lake. Especially in summer.”

“God yes…” said Max in a sing-song kind of way. “Firefly lake. I remember us swimming and searching for hidden treasure while your dad tried his hand at fishing. And Joyce always made fun of him.”

Lightly Chloe chuckled. “Well yeah… He was horrible at it.”

“I’m sure the fish-fish didn’t mind.”

“Ugh Max…” Chloe groaned and rolled her eyes, but nonetheless she could not refrain herself from nuzzling Max’s cheek. “Fish-fish… Seriously? Sometimes you’re jus—”

“Cute?”

Chloe grumbled. “Hmm no… I was going for something else.” Smiling, she tilted Max’s face up, a gentle hand cupping her chin. It was meant as a tender gesture, but Max used the opportunity to slip her arms around Chloe’s neck, holding on tight, and drawing her into a kiss.

“Adorable?” Max whispered soft, teasing words into her ear as she pulled away some seconds later. “Sweet? Beautiful? Gorgeous?”

“No. Perfect.”  

As was that moment.

They savored it, appreciated it, the little piece of time they found themselves encompassed in, pinning it down and keeping it safe — before it faded into an ocean of memories. It was a silent moment, mundane in its simplicity, a moment during which, as of yet unbeknownst to each other, the very same thought surrounded them. A thought each of them was sure they would share forever.

That they sat huddled together in a truck, on parking lot in the middle of nowhere, under autumnal trees, was of no importance. That Max was still sat on Chloe’s lap, and that Chloe still had her arms draped around that slender waist, were however not.

Sparks filled their eyes and the air alike. Chloe leaned closer, and she did so with almost agonizing slowness, but the sensation of her touch, the softness with which her hand first worked its way under Max’s blazer, then under her t-shirt, the gentleness with which her fingertips ventured over the bare skin of Max’s midriff—the hushed gasp and ever so slight clenching of legs thus provoked—it was more than enough to send mutual shivers through their bodies. They were drawn to each other, and as hands caressed, lips met.

If in those moments the day had passed them by and the world gone to ruin, neither of them would have found a reason to complain. But as it so happened, none of those things had come to pass. They were still there, the day and the world, when eyes opened again, when Max bit her bottom lip the way she subconsciously did whenever she felt overwhelmed by the affection shown to her, when Chloe’s hands returned to brush away that loose strand of hair that kept curtaining down, and when both decided to voice those shared thoughts.

Chloe went first. “I love you.” It was the sincerest sounding thing Max had ever heard. “I love how you can turn me into a bumbling idiot just because you tied up your hair. I love how you use the covers to hide that droopy face when you’ve just woken up… I even love how you hog ‘em all night… I love how you’re probably wondering if I’m okay being here, or if the place is reminding me of things I don’t wanna be reminded of...”

A smile curved up Max’s lips, tentative, but warm. “How did you know?”

“I didn’t. But I know _you_. Made an educated guess.” Yet again, for the second time in a mere minute, Chloe leaned closer, their faces drawing near, their breaths not so much mingling as becoming one. She placed a kiss, a peck at most, on the tip of Max’s nose, before softly bumping their foreheads together. “And I love how you’re looking out for me, even if you don’t have to.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong,” Max replied, happily so, while rubbing their noses together with utmost gentleness. “Of course I have to. After all… You’re doing the same for me. And I’ll never stop doing so. I’ll always take care of you.”

Chloe chuckled. After that there was a pause, a few seconds of silence. “I love _us_ , you know… Like… we know what the other’s thinking. We know what the other’s feeling… And I just love us being together like this. Right here.”

“Yeah… It’s beautiful.” Max nodded, breathing an appreciative sigh. At this point she was all but certain her smile would never leave her face again. “And I guess… I love how you make me speechless.”

“Well to be fair,” Chloe countered, “that one could count for the both of us. Bumbling idiot, remember?”

Max smirked, shaking her head. Her mouth opened, but closed as she thought better of it. So, she instead placed a most tender and lingering kiss on the very corner of Chloe’s lips. It was so soft, so innocent it could barely be felt, at least not on a physical level. Emotionally however, it meant everything. “I love you,” she then said, “I think… that’s all I really need to say.”

In truth, it was all either of them needed to say.

After another moment of silence, after more smiles, little touches, and mutual understandings, Chloe turned her head to the side. She kept her eyes on Max, but gave a subtle nod in the direction of the trail leading out of the forest. Feeling her stomach grumble, she said, “Now I don’t about you... But this bumbling idiot could really go for some breakfast.”

“Oh god yes,” Max replied, exhaling, and at long last shifting her weight to climb off Chloe’s lap. “And _a lot_ of coffee.”

“Yeah… I noticed.” Chloe grinned, but it was quick to shrink. In lieu of teasing her any more than she already did, she simply reached out to give her hand a squeeze, her cheek another kiss. “There’s that diner place right around the corner. Or used to be at least. What do you say?”

Smiling, Max slung her bag over her shoulder. “Do you really need to ask?”

  


####  _Dreams Of Past And Future Us_

  


Though taken at a pace equal to no more than that of a leisurely stroll, the walk to the edge of the forest was a short one. The path was well maintained, lined with wooden fences, lights, and covered with the same fine gravel as the parking lot. It lead down a gentle slope, weaving serpentines through the trees, and past sheer rock faces. Signposts marked branching trails, displays offered maps and facts pertaining to the area, benches rest to weary travelers.

As canopies thinned out, the sound of wind curling through the leaves was replaced by the distant yet unmistakable cawing of seagulls. Likewise, the gravel soon gave way to pavement, the forest to grass and bushes, the path to an open area. It was an overlook, perched on a cliff, above a crescent-shaped beach. While far from sprawling, it was nonetheless large enough to house a series of buildings. Among them, tucked away beneath the shade of two lone pine trees, and somewhat reminiscent of an oversized log cabin, was the diner in question. Next to the entrance, under a gabled roof, was a beautifully hand-painted sign. It read:

 

The Dancing Bears Diner And Inn

Open Daily 8am-10pm

We Serve The Best Pancakes on the Oregon Coast

 

“Well… I’ll be the judge of that,” said Chloe as she bounded up a short flight of creaky wooden steps. It sounded as if she had just accepted a challenge.

Trailing a good couple dozen feet behind, was Max. Despite her empty stomach she was not in a hurry, and she rather enjoyed the faint traces of briny sea air that lingered around the overlook. Furthermore, her curiosity was less piqued by the establishment’s supposed claim to fame, and more by something tangibly related.

“You know,” she said, “I’ve always wondered how people come up with names like that. The Dancing Bears... Why not just call it the Crescent Cove Diner and Inn?”

“Ah, I see,” said Chloe, impatiently tapping her foot while Max continued to tarry. “You’re asking the important questions.”

“No, I’m asking the only question,” replied Max. “Because I already know where the best pancakes are, so it can’t be here.”

“Suck-up.”

Max made a face at her, with her tongue stuck out. “Maybe it’s some kind of urban legend, you know?” she said, at last, and much to Chloe’s relief, scaling the stairs. “And that’s where the name comes from.”

“So lemme guess. You picturing some old nutjob stumbling through the forest one night, hammered on the cheapest crap he could find?”

“Yes, exactly! Or mostly anyway…” Skipping over the last step with a little jump, Max caught up with Chloe. “And then he got lost and came across a clearing. And of course there’s a full moon.”

“Of course. Can’t have a legend without a full moon,” Chloe replied. Using her foot, she first held open the weighty wooden front door, then followed Max inside. Immediately the crisp morning air was replaced by pleasant warmth, the interior giving off a woodsy feel. “Then,” she continued, “under that full moonlight he sees a bear doing… you know… uh….”

“Bear things!”

“Okay sure… Bear things. If that’s what you wanna call it.” With the two of them in the entryway, she rushed past Max and spun around, walking backward until she hit a second set of doors. “So… He sees a bear doing bear things. And uh… well because the guy is drunk as shit he obviously sees double.”

Max stopped, gasping, her eyes wide open in feigned shock. The mystery was about to be solved. “And because he sees double, the bear… bears look like they are dancing!”

“Yes! But mostly because he’s just like… _y’know_ …” What started out as a normal sentence, soon turned into nothing but slurred speech. As she trailed off, Chloe began to sway and stagger, doing so in the most exaggerated fashion possible.

“A zombie? A mummy?” said Max, cocking her head to the side and stroking her chin. “Honestly I can’t really tell. Your acting is just shit.”

“Caulfield, how dare you? You did not just say that! Come here!”

Dedicated to keeping up the act, Chloe pitched forward, straight into Max. They both stumbled, but whereas Max yelped out of surprise, Chloe was presented with the opportunity to envelop her in a hug once more. It was an opportunity she gladly took advantage of. Yet again she lavished Max’s cheek with kisses, her girlfriend in turn squealing in delight.

When, for the briefest of moments, Max was able to regain her composure, she exclaimed, “Oh I know! It’s a zombie-mummy!” before slipping into another fit of giggles.

“Argh, you little shit…” While rocking her from side to side, Chloe brought her lips to Max’s ears instead. “It’s because he’s just so _un-bear-ably_ drunk!”

With Chloe cackling into her ear, Max broke even further. “Oh god, Chloe no… just no…” she said, heaving with laughter. “And we are _so_ stupid.”

“Stupidly fun more like,” shot back Chloe, grabbing Max’s hand. “Now come on. I’m starving here.”

And thus, not keen on wasting yet more time, she flung open the second set of doors, rushing herself and a giggling Max out of the entryway, and into the actual dining room. As a result of the early morning hours, the establishment was for the most part devoid of customers. In fact, the only person in sight was a woman, sat on one of the red leather upholstered stools at the counter, hunched over a stack of papers, and chewing on the end of a pen—details neither Max nor Chloe really paid attention to.

Engrossed in themselves and their silliness, they bustled past said counter, past the row of booths nestled against the windows, and toward the back of the well-maintained room. They did so with such a hurry, that the woman, just to make sure, grabbed her papers to keep them from scattering to the wind. And whereas their laughter and giggles vied with some old-fashioned country song belting from the radio, the amused look they received thereafter remained just another thing passing them by unseen.

That entire time, Max thought her heart would pound its way through her chest. When she inevitably sat down, she did not slide into their chosen booth, as much as she collapsed into it. Then, in a most dramatic fashion, she let her forehead smack against the table. Salt and pepper shakers clattered together, while somewhere behind the counter, the gurgle of a coffee machine marked the brewing of a fresh pot. Max drew in deep breath after deep breath, her giggling fit subsiding more and more with each one. Those moments of respite were however short-lived.

Her shoulder was being poked. Once, twice, and a third time. After the fourth time, she stirred and grumbled, facetiously, “Chloe… Please stop…” There was no response, not a verbal one at least, the answer all the same exactly what she expected. Another poke.

Eventually, and after careful deliberation, she decided to risk a glance.

Chloe had not sat down. As a matter of fact, she simply stood there, next to the booth, looming, and above all, grinning. It was a Chloe sort of grin, the kind that told Max everything, yet nothing in particular, the kind that could brighten even the darkest of days, the kind Max loved so much.

And, intense focus and raised eyebrows aside, Max still struggled to keep a straight face. “What?” she asked, her cheeks rosy, her eyes glowing with a twinkle of mischief.

“Scoot. Please?”

Max attempted to roll her eyes, but failed spectacularly. “Really?” she said instead, chuckling.

Chloe’s smile was disarming, as was the puppy-eyed look she flashed. The only thing missing was for her to bat her eyelashes. “Come on,” she said, her tone sweet as could be. “If we’re gonna do this, then we’re gonna do it right. I wanna be _that_ kind of couple. We hella deserve it too. _Sooo_ …” She squeezed in next to Max, and with a gentle bump of her hip she asked again. “Pretty please? Baby?”

It was useless to resist. Max knew. Besides, she did not want to, after all she yearned after every second of closeness she could get. So, she placed a kiss on Chloe’s cheek, before shimmying over to make space. “Let’s be that kind of couple,” she said, proudly so. “ _Baby._ ”

Chloe’s mouth fell open into a lop-sided smile. “Did you just call me…”

“Baby?” replied Max. “Hmmm…” She placed her elbows on the table, and rested her chin in her hands, a goading expression on her face. “I guess I did… Whatcha gonna do about it?”

Chloe was no stranger to Max’s more playful, and at times even teasing side — facets of her personality all too seldom seen, and further made scarce by current events — each occurrence therefore a special one. She adored those self-satisfied smirks the brunette wore whenever she stumped Chloe in one of their verbal sparrings, those subtle, anticipatory glances, those moments she dared to seize instead of letting them escape without a fight.

“You’re not so chickenshit anymore,” was what Chloe had said one fateful night in what was now a barren, and destroyed swimming pool. A statement which, on this very morning, rang truer than ever. The day was young still, but Max seemed carefree, not like a different person, but definitely like one whose shoulders had been freed of an immense weight.

Still, the master was not about to be beaten at her own game. The smirk Max wore, almost flirty in its intensity, the pining gaze… Both would have been more pronounced had Chloe not kissed them away moments later. The kiss itself was harmless, as far as they were concerned, all and only lips. But Chloe had more in store. She brought their foreheads together, her hands cupping just under Max’s jaw as her thumbs brushed along familiar lines. Her touch was affectionate, her tone sultry, her lips parted. “So… Max... would you like me to do something… _else_ about it? Because I have some… _ideas_ …”

With nothing but the smallest gap between them, the ultimate decision rested in Max’s hands. Their gazes locked, and not before long she lost herself in what she saw. Behind those eyes she found longing, desire, and maybe even lust—the latter causing her heart to skip a beat. She suddenly became acutely aware of the sensation Chloe’s hand aroused as it skimmed over her jaw, along her ear to her neck, and ultimately to back of her head, how skillful fingers threaded through her hair, and quite simply of how close their bodies were. The plethora of feelings was overwhelming.

And then it happened.

Her tongue tied, her muscles stiffened. Realization struck in a flash. They were neither in the safety of Chloe’s room, snuggled together under thin covers to keep each other warm, nor in the relative privacy of Chloe’s truck. In fact, they were not even alone.

And as always, Chloe had read her mind. How remained a mystery, the result all the same something only she was capable of. The desire, the lust, those emotions meant to coax a reaction out of Max, little by little they made way for a look composed of pure love. Soon her hands retreated too, though not before her knuckles ghosted over Max’s cheek, tenderly stroking. She felt the tension beneath that soft skin, but she also felt it dissipate under her soothing touch, and when she smiled, her lips barely quirking, it was an unspoken apology. A last stroke of her thumb, another smile, and she had told Max everything she needed to know, and so, and at last, she eased away, casting a sideways glance toward the counter.

There, not quite like a deer caught in headlights, but nevertheless unprepared for the attention shifting her way, sat the woman they had passed earlier. At some point during their exchange she had stopped ruminating over her paperwork, to instead give it her best attempt at not prying too much, while at the same time keeping an eye on them. But with the focus of Chloe and Max now firmly directed her way, she lurched up.

She was tall, taller than even Chloe by at least half a head, as Max judged, just as lanky, and at most in her early thirties. Her auburn hair, a thick and elaborate waterfall of curls, flowed down well past her shoulders, and perched on her nose sat a pair of thick-rimmed glasses. Most importantly, she began to smile, open and easy. “I’m really sorry,” she said. “I’m such a klutz. I stared and ruined the moment didn’t I?” The husky quality of her voice highlighted her accent, elevating it above a gentle lilt.

Not unexpected, the answers were at best lukewarm. “Nah, it’s all good. I guess,” said Chloe, shrugging. Max on the other hand fought a swift and losing battle, at the end of which she felt the heat of a crimson flush spread up from her collar. Still, she flashed a smile, voicing a hushed agreement.

Without taking her eyes off them, and without letting her smile falter, the woman reached behind the counter, quite obviously fumbling for something. “Don’t sweat it,” she said, more so to Max than Chloe, “We’ve all been there. Believe me. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I could—”

A frown burrowed a deep crease into her forehead. She then grumbled some unintelligible words, followed by a comprehensible apology, which itself was trailed by a lengthy glimpse behind the counter. Another grumble, and some quick steps toward the cash register later, she retrieved a red apron. With nimble, but ever so faintly shaky fingers, she tied it around her waist. Embroidered with golden threads, it featured, in addition to the diner’s name, a depiction of two bears dancing around a campfire. Upon noticing, Max and Chloe shot each other knowing, and not-so serious looks.

“All right, let’s try this again,” said the waitress. She straightened out the apron, and—without further deliberation — breezed toward their table, lighter on her feet than her initial clumsiness had suggested. Her head dipped once with a nod aimed at Max, and a second time aimed at Chloe. Handing them each a laminated menu, she continued. “Good morning, and welcome to the Dancing Bears inn. My name is Lenny, and I’ll be taking care of you today.”

“Hey. Hello, good morning,” replied Chloe and Max respectively, and in unison.

“So, our breakfast special today is the turkey club omelet. That is with turkey, bacon, fresh tomatoes, cheddar, toast, and either homemade fries or homemade hash browns, or both if you so fancy.” She paused for second, and folded her hands behind her back, standing tall and visibly proud. “Now, to start you off. May I get you ladies something to drink? Coffee? Tea? Regular, decaf, anything you like. It’s on the house.”

“Uhm sure. Coffee. Regular,” said Max. The color in cheeks retreated little by little. “Please.”

“Yeah, me too,” Chloe added. But with eyes narrowed, and obvious wariness, she said, “So why on the house?”

The waitress shrugged. “Well, for once I feel bad for interrupting. That and you two remind me of myself. Myself not that long ago even. Like I said, we’ve all been there.”

“I’m sensing a story there,” said Max. Without delay she cringed at her candor. Being in Chloe’s presence, combined with the waitress’ efforts to put at ease her mind, had sparked both her curiosity as well as her willingness to engage in a minute of harmless small talk. Nonetheless, an apology followed. “I-I’m sorry. I’m being nosey.”

“No, not at all,” the waitress assured her. “After all I’m the one who brought it up. And there is indeed a story there.” She flashed a smile, her rigid posture relaxing just enough to let them know they were among friends. “Back in the day, and stop me if I’m wrong or overstepping. I assume, by the looks of it, that this is one of your first times out and about like this?” When Max and Chloe nodded, she continued. “Well, back in the day, for our first date, my back then not-yet girlfriend insisted on dragging me to this fancy restaurant neither of us could actually afford. We were horribly out of place there. And people noticed, and it’s not like I could hide. My girlfriend didn’t care, but I did. Hated her for it. Still do in fact. I was embarrassed, and pretty much went through the entire catalog. Blushing, sweating like a madwoman, and generally being myself. It was just _grand_. But we had this waiter, older gentleman, who gave us a quiet table and drinks on the house. Never told us why. He simply asked us to pay it forward someday. And that money we saved because of him was enough to be able to pay. I mean I still broke two glasses and spilled our wine, but it turned into a fantastic evening eventually. A special one in fact, and the first of many together. So whenever I’m reminded of that day I do my best to respect his wishes. And I have this inkling today will be special too…” Something about her tone had pitched, hopeful expectation joining the anecdote as it neared its end. “Perhaps the first of many for you two as well.”

Once the story had been told, Max and Chloe each offered a smile, to the waitress and each other. “We’re pretty sure it’s gonna be special,” said Max. “And we can definitely pay.”

The waitress laughed. “You better.” It was a quick moment between them until anything else was said, Lenny, the waitress, as it seemed recalling the memories of that evening. “But enough about that,” she eventually said. “You’re not here to hear me blab. Let me get your coffee.”

Within a flash, she had made it back behind the counter. In the meantime, left to their own devices, Max and Chloe returned their attention to each other. A conversation was waiting to be addressed, the words already at the edge of Chloe’s tongue, but with another interruption imminent she thought it best to hold her silence just a little longer. Thus, for some long seconds, the only sound permeating the room was yet another country song coming from the radio.

“She seems nice,” said Max, hoping to end the awkwardness.

“Yeah.”

“Tall.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“Wonder how many glasses she’s broken around here. She seems a little nervous.”

“Yeah. Noticed that too. Speaks like a waterfall.”

“But I like the accent.”

“Yeah.”

To everybody’s relief, Lenny and her accent returned forthwith. “Here you go. Two coffees. On the house, as are the refills,” she said, setting down a large mug in front of Max first, Chloe second, and as a third item a smaller, wooden tray carrying a bowl of sugar and a small jug of milk. Folding her arms behind her back once more, she nodded at the menus. “Take your time, all right? I’ll be in the kitchen for just a minute. If you need anything and I’m not back, feel free to just yell out my name.”

Max chuckled, at ease at last. “Uh… Lenny… right?”

“Short for Eleanor,” she replied. “Now enjoy yourselves. I’ll be right back.”

As if she still had to make up for interrupting them earlier, Lenny scurried away toward the kitchen, leaving the door swinging back and forth behind her. Chloe shifted, devoting her full attention to Max as soon as she was gone, her hunger for now unimportant. Without further ado, she said, “Are you okay? About before?”

It took Max a second to understand, but once she did she began to nod vehemently. “Oh, yeah,” she replied. “Don’t worry about it. I was just a little startled. I think I realized that there’s a difference between talking about doing something, and actually doing it.”

Chloe searched for Max’s hand, for the physical connection that tethered them together more often than not. She found it right away. “You mean actually going on a date? Actually being in public?”

“Yeah. It feels official,” Max said. Quickly, she added, “I-in a good way. I’m not ashamed of you or anything.”

“Max, I know that. But still… I’m sorry,” Chloe replied, her tone quieting. To the untrained eye it looked like she was walking on eggshells, lifting Max’s hand to guide it to her lips, then planting kiss after kiss on each knuckle. But Max knew better. This was Chloe, in all her vulnerability, in all her desire to put herself second behind those she loved. “I don’t ever want to make you uncomfortable, okay?” she continued. “Even if I’m teasing you. I know I can sometimes get carried away. And sometimes I forget that we’re going at your pace and not mine. I went too far just now. Earlier too. I’m sorry.”

Each kiss planted upped the risk of Max melting under Chloe’s affection. Having been on the receiving end so many times, she had long since lost track of the amount — yet each kiss remained special, each one turning her knees to jelly. “Hey,” she said, “I was kinda asking for it. And just look at you. As soon as you noticed, you stopped. You didn’t make me uncomfortable. And earlier? Y-you mean In the truck? When we kissed and your hands—”

“Wandered.”

Max smirked the tiniest smirk, laughed the tiniest laugh. “They did wander a bit, that’s true.”

“It’s uh… it’s no excuse,” replied Chloe, hesitantly. “But having the world’s hottest girlfriend sit on your lap made it pretty hard not to.”

Sly as she could be, whenever Chloe was worried, there was rarely space for other emotions, even if she tried. In this case however, she did not need to. Yet another blush came so easily to freckled cheeks, that even Max had to shake her head. But there was a dual meaning behind that gesture. Only when she slipped her hand out of Chloe’s grasp seconds later, to mimic her actions by kissing each one of her knuckles in return, did her intentions become clear.

“I admit,” she said, “I’m too anxious to do something like that without you doing it first. Like letting your hands… wander. Or even sitting on your lap. And I’ll probably be for a long time. But that doesn’t mean that you giving me a little push every now and then is a bad thing. Like… if you hadn’t dared me to kiss you that morning… we might not be here right now. And if you’re really wondering or worrying about earlier…” She pulled Chloe’s hand a little closer, a little higher, pressing it a little tighter against her mouth, enough to hide the sheepish smile curving up her lips. Moreover, as if she attempted to hide her voice too, she whispered, “Well… That felt really nice. Your hands are always really warm, and you’re always so careful, and I just love that so much. So no, I did not mind. I liked it, actually.”

Whereas Max had held her ground, Chloe was indeed melting under every touch. Higher and higher was her hand steered, until nothing but Max’s eyes peeked out, the kisses seemingly continuous even so. All she could muster was a sigh. “Have I ever told you how frickin’ cute you are?”

Max shrugged, and after one last, long and lingering kiss she let go of Chloe’s hand. “Here and there.”

In spite of every answer received, Chloe wanted to make sure one more time. “So we’re good?” she asked. “Like really, I didn’t go too fast?”

“Chloe, of course we’re good. And forget about going too fast or to slow… When I said that, we had just kissed for the first time and everything was new and weird and kind of overwhelming. Honestly I think I was a little scared you’d just jam your tongue down my throat.”

Chloe chuckled. Her blue eyes shone with mirth, and a smile decided to grace her lips. Now that her hands were free she slid out of her jacket, but given the limited space at her disposal, and her apparent unwillingness to stand up, she had to be careful not to elbow Max in the face. “To be fair,” she said, shifting and squirming with success. “By now I’ve learned that you don’t like that either way.”

“See?” Max replied. “That’s what I mean. We never talked about it, but you just know. Add it to the list of reasons why I love you.”

“You have a list?” Chloe asked as she flung her jacket across the table, and onto the other red leather bench in their booth. Her beanie joined it straight away.

“It’s getting pretty long by now.”

 _As it should._ The very same thought coursed through two heads — for various reasons, one serious, one less so — though finding voice in neither. Their smiles, constant as they were, conveyed more than enough.

“I mean we’re not a normal couple anyway,” Chloe admitted. She stared down into her coffee mug, and began to busy herself with adding a spoonful of sugar. “Normal couples don’t kiss once and then decide to be girlfriends. Normal couples don’t have their first date _after_ they’ve gotten together. So I guess normal rules don’t apply.”

“Yeah, guess so,” Max grunted her reply, shifting to cross her legs. In that moment, behind the counter, the kitchen door opened a gap wide, Lenny peeking out to survey the diner before disappearing again. “Sometimes,” Max continued, “I don’t even see us as a couple, just as…” She shrugged. “Well just as us.”

“You mean as Max and Chloe,” Chloe said, watching the motion of her spoon as she stirred her coffee, then clicking it against the mug whilst Max’s answer tarried.

“Yes,” replied Max, eventually. Not quite hoping to avoid Chloe’s gaze, but neither trying to meet it, she shifted once more to instead peer out of distractingly clean windows. Yet even so she felt Chloe’s eyes on the back of her head, and thus, moving yet again, in the opposite direction and therefore back to Chloe, she said, or rather blurted, “Sometimes I don’t even think of you as my girlfriend. Because… because you are so much more than that. And you’re more than my best friend too. You’re Chloe, and no one else could ever be _you._ So in my mind you’ll always be Chloe, above all else.”

Whatever answer she had expected, the one she received was not it. Chloe barked a laugh, and the playful punch she threw at Max’s shoulder, was, so much was certain, one of the firmer ones. “Dude, I know what you mean,” she exclaimed. “Every morning when I wake up I see you lying next to me, and sometimes I have to remind myself that Max- _fucking_ -Caulfield is my girlfriend. And then I have to remind myself that my girlfriend is _Max-fucking-Caulfield_ and not just anyone. So yeah…” Her expression softened, her voice quieted, and she slung an arm around Max’s shoulders. “I feel the same way. We’re Max and Chloe, first and foremost. And that’s never gonna change, it’s what we’ll always be.”

With Chloe holding Max close again, the outcome was a foregone conclusion. A kiss on her temple, a peck on her cheek, one more for good measure, and Max decided that everything had been said, and the matter settled. The squeeze her arm received thereafter was all the confirmation she needed. At once she snuggled close, resting her head on a shoulder which at this point in time might as well have been a pillow to her. Chloe on the other hand started to study the menu, almost religiously so. Max took a few glimpses as well, not bothering to pick up her own, but her focus soon diverted to the plethora of views and sights the overlook offered. One such sight in particular managed to not merely catch, but also retain said focus.

It was family, a rather traditional looking one. Mother, father, and more importantly, a little blonde girl, no more than six or seven years of age. Max could all but hear her babble and call out, “Mommy, daddy, look!” as she pointed toward the viewfinders located at the highest tip of the cliff. Likewise, the mother’s request to stay close, kind yet determined, was no figment of her imagination. It was also futile. The girl managed to squirm away, skipping ahead on short and stubby legs, picking up speed… to faceplant into the dirt seconds later. Immediately her mother rushed toward her, yet before she was able to help, the girl rolled over.

She was laughing, giggling, in hysterics with childlike amusement, back to her feet in no time at all, and running again after even less.

Her name was Chloe, Max just knew. It had to be.

And then, out of the blue and without thinking, Max spoke. “I’m glad we’re here,” she said, watching the parents engage in hot pursuit. “I’ve never been away from home like this. You know, alone, on a trip. Without someone looking over my shoulder…” She fiddled with her thumbs as her hands clasped around her steaming mug of coffee. “It’s exciting.”

Lost in the options presented by the menu, Chloe did not process the words she had heard, not right away at least. When she did, some long moments thereafter, the menu was the last thing on her mind. “Wait…” she said, frowning at Max. “You never went anywhere? Back in Seattle? With friends or—?”

Max’s demeanor changed within the blink of an eye. Her fingers curled tighter around her mug, and with haste she brought it to her lips. That the coffee was scaling hot did not faze her. She took a sip, using the mug to hide her expression, and even when she talked it was a welcome method of covering her face. “Well, no…” she said, meekly. “N-not like this, at least. I mean not really, anyway. I’ve been away, but… yeah...” Quickly she took another sip, or in this case, a gulp.

To say Chloe was intrigued, would have been an understatement. But in more ways than one, Max’s reaction had already told her everything she needed to know. There was no point in prodding for more. It simply saddened her — every new information further painting a bleak picture of life in the city—her compassion ultimately being the sole thing she could pass on.

“It’s okay,” she said, rubbing the arm her hand was resting on. “Another one for the list of forbidden topics?”

Max nodded, her fingers still curled around the mug. “Please.”

“Okay,” Chloe replied. “Don’t worry about it.” In an almost maternal fashion she ruffled Max’s hair, summoning hushed giggles which she promptly added to by kissing her temple. It was music to her ears. “We’ll have the best trip ever today. So fuck Seattle.”

“Yeah… Fuck Seattle,” Max agreed, her dip in mood no more than fleeting. The reply earned her, and her arm yet another squeeze, which in turn rewarded Chloe with yet another kiss. Those little back-and-forths, affectionate and playful as they were, showed no signs of stopping, each little motion the cause of more, and only when Max peeked over Chloe’s shoulder, to take a look at the menu, did they make a silent deal to take a break.

“You see anything you like?” asked Max. “I’m treating you.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I am,” Max replied. She sipped her coffee, finding, to her dismay that the mug was somehow almost empty already. How was one more mystery to solve. “Anyway,” she continued, tittering to herself. “It’s the least I can do. So go ham. Order anything you like. Knock yourself out.”

“Oh, look at _you_ ,” Chloe exclaimed, poking Max in the side. “Making it sound like you got hella cash to drop.”

“Well, hey… Like you’re one to talk,” Max countered. “You paid like forty bucks to buy me some film—”

“And I would do so again.”

 “—so let me have this.”

A wicked grin took shape on Chloe’s face, and as soon as it did, Max knew to steel herself. But at that point it was too late already. Eager and about to assail her with a headlock and a noogie, or rather the plural thereof, Chloe yanked her as close as possible — the high-pitched shriek she caused almost comical in nature. But Max’s ordeal was over before it well and truly began.

Because, as if on cue, the kitchen door swung open. The sound of pans filled with sizzling oil, and the whirring of a kitchen hood rushed into the dining room, the momentary distraction enough for Max to squirm out of Chloe’s hold. She retaliated with a shove of her own, yet failed at making a noticeable impact. In turn, Chloe elbowed her in the ribs, gently, though less in additional reprisal, and more so in a bid to direct her attention to the scene playing out behind the bar.

Carrying a tray and a three tiered cake stand, each stacked to the brim with various fruit and meringue pies, some of which, judging by the smell, were fresh out of the oven, was none other than Lenny. She was humming, none too quietly in fact, her hips swaying side to side with every frolicking step she took. Even to Max and Chloe, and their unseasoned eyes, it was obvious she was in the midst of retracing the steps of what could only be a slow dance.

“She looks happy,” whispered Max, keeping her voice as low as possible. She was amused, but did not wish to intrude, and even less to be noticed. “And she looks cute.”

“Oh, she’s cute?” Once more Chloe elbowed her. “So maybe you’d like _her_ to be your girlfriend?”

“Well, you’re making me think about it…” Max replied, giving it her best pout, all while rubbing her arm. “She probably wouldn’t punch me all the time.”

“You don’t know that. She could be into some super kinky shit. Like… I’m talking whips, I’m talking ropes, ball gags—”

“Ugh! Okay…” Max groaned, loud enough to bring to a halt Chloe’s otherwise no doubt endless display of devious knowledge. “That’s enough. Stop.”

Chloe’s expression lessened within an instant. “Too much?”

Max did not deem the question worthy of further commentary. Rather, she shook her head and rolled her eyes, doing so aimed at Chloe and with more than a little hyperbole. For unrelated reasons she then reached under the table, where she began to fumble for her bag. Under Chloe’s curious gaze she pulled it up into her lap to rifle through, first producing her camera, and as a second item a pack of film. It was everything required to proceed, yet there was a third item she retrieved. An item which brought forth an ever so slight shift in mood.

Her camera, her old one. Broken and battered as it was, she nevertheless kept it in her bag, always on her person, and always close. There was a certain melancholy, a certain nostalgic longing in the ginger fashion with which she touched the machine, trying, for the umpteenth time, to push one of the broken mechanisms back in place. But as always it proved to be futile, and as always she held out hope that the next time she tried would turn out different.

She was about to slip the camera back into her bag when Chloe stopped her. “You know, I’ve been told I’m pretty handy,” she told Max with a miniscule, hesitant, but proud grin. “And I assume that camera is important to you, right?”

“It is,” Max replied, nodding. “Got me… It got me through some rough days.”

“Then here, let me have a look.” Carefully Chloe lifted the camera out of Max’s hands, inspecting it with the same caution in order to get an impression of the damage sustained. She was no specialist, but — as she liked to tell herself — what she lacked in expertise, she made up for in ingenuity.

“Hmmm… I think I can fix this,” she continued, her tone tentative to keep expectations low. “It probably needs some tinkering, but I don’t think it’s beyond repair. If you’d like, I can take a look back home. See what I can do.”

“You would do that?” Max asked, at once following the question up with a shake of her head and by saying, “ _Of course_ you would. Because you’re amazing,” as if it were the single most self-evident notion to exist.

Raising her eyebrows, Chloe replied, “Is that a yes?”

“ _Yes._ ” Max deposited the camera back into her bag, the bag in return back onto the floor. After that, she took Chloe’s hand and clasped it within both her own, her appreciation and gratitude taking form in a long-lasting squeeze. “Even if it can’t be fixed, knowing that you tried to… It would mean a lot to me. Thank you, Chloe.”

“Anything for you. Literally,” Chloe said with roguish charm and a wink so overstated it barely qualified as one. Yet the sentiment remained, as truer words had never been spoken. Max’s happiness was her happiness, her ambition, the motivation to fix what was broken therefore amplified all but tenfold. But, as she had to remind herself, it was a project for another day.

“ _So anyway,_ ” she continued, snatching up the menu once again. “Did _you_ see anything you like?”

“Mhm-hmm, yeah. I did.” Though having unlaced their fingers but instants earlier, Max was already in the midst of ripping open the pack of film. “I think I’m going for the blueberry pancakes. Wanna share?”

“Oh…” Chloe teased, scanning the menu. _Three_ _blueberry buttermilk pancakes served with whipped cream & maple syrup_, it read. “So you are curious.”

Max shrugged. Non-chalantly she said, “It’s for science. You of all people should appreciate that,” while, with much less casualness, picking up her other camera to take a peek into its film compartment. Satisfied, she set it aside again.

By doing so, she earned herself a questioning look from Chloe. “I uh… I did buy the right film, right? Or is something wrong?”

“No, everything’s fine,” Max replied. “Look.” Without further notice she was in her element, and Chloe about to receive a crash course in the intricacies of instant photography. Whether she wanted to or not. “There’s still film in here. It’s only for one picture, but if I take the cartridge out, that picture gets overexposed before I even take it. I could do so in a dark room, or use the dark slide of another pack to do it right here, but I don’t have one on me. And even if I did, I’d have to be careful because sometimes it’s a bit—” She noticed Chloe’s expression, which, amongst the waterfall of words and information, had only grown more delightfully baffled. “ _And_ … You have no idea what I’m talking about.”

“No, it’s all right, I get it. Mostly. Don’t know what a dark slide is, but it’s cool.” Chloe stretched her legs with cat-like satisfaction, and rested her elbows on the table, cupping her chin in her hands. With her eyes she motioned to the camera. “It’s also cool seeing you like this. In the zone.”

“You mean happy?” Max clarified, and once Chloe nodded her response, she followed it up by saying, “Well… After all I guess you really do know the way to my heart, right?”

“And I’m so gonna abuse that.”

Max shook her head. “And there’s probably no point in asking you not to.”

Chloe shrugged, lifting her shoulders so high they stayed up somewhere around her ears. “I make no promises,” she declared. Even the goofy half-grin she flashed managed to be disarming.

In fact, all of them were. Neither Max nor Chloe could contain their happiness, their elation in anticipation of a day which, in more ways than one, had yet to commence. Their hearts throbbed with love, light yet full, and swarms of butterflies fluttered in their stomachs. Thoughts scattered in their heads like leaves in wind, the effort to think straight considerable. And among it all, their eyes were meant for one another, an almost exclusive pact, their hands working to provide the physical contact that, on a subconscious level, gave them the comfort of days past.

It was in a similar fashion that the events surrounding them faded into no more than foot notes. That the incessant barrage of country songs trailed off, only to be replaced by a series of advertisements — one of which had the disembodied voice of a rather boisterous sounding man promote his used car dealership — passed them by just as much as the flock of seagulls taking to the air as a certain blonde girl chased after them.

Yet once more history appeared to repeat itself, as it was Lenny who brought to those moments an untimely finish. After having put on display the cakes which had so unwittingly become her dance partner minutes earlier, she grabbed the pot of coffee, and returned to their booth.

She too was smiling, and not solely as a courtesy. “Would you like a refill?” she first asked, directing the question at Max, since Chloe had yet to touch hers.

“Uh yes, please,” replied Max. “Thank you.”

“And did something on the menu strike your fancy? Or would you two like more time to decide?”

The answer was a resounding, “ _Uhm_.”

Max threw a look at Chloe, Chloe at Max. When they both nodded, Chloe said, “Yeah, uh, we’ve found something,” though she held any further thoughts until Lenny had finished pouring Max’s mug of coffee. “So… We’ll have the blueberry pancakes, and the breakfast special you mentioned. With hash browns and…” Again she looked at Max, grimacing, the expression not bordering on pleading or silly, but far beyond already. “Extra bacon?”

A laugh rushed to the tip of Max’s tongue, and as a result, rather than reply to Chloe and fall victim to the faces she made, she hustled to face and address Lenny outright and by herself. “Extra bacon for the lady please,” she declared, handing back their menus in a most definite fashion.

Visibly amused, Lenny nodded. “All right,” she said. “Extra bacon, we can definitely do that. I’ll be right back.”

And with that, she was gone again. She breezed toward the kitchen like a whirlwind, not a second too soon. Once the door was swinging and the room empty, Max released the laugh she had been struggling to hold. “Oh my god,” she exclaimed. “Why do you do this to me? In front of people.”

“What? Why me? I’m innocent.” Chloe pouted. “I just wanted extra bacon.”

“Sure.”

“Hey! You’re a shameless bacon thief, I’m just making sure there’s gonna be some left for me.”

“Oh. Now _I_ am a food thief?” Max argued, pointing at herself. “Slander. Through and through. All of it.”

“Don’t you even try to deny it, we all know how you roll.”

“ _We?! Who’s we?”_

Two minutes later they were still at it.

“I mean _how_ could I possibly forget?” Max proclaimed. Unable to stay still, she gesticulated, throwing her arms in the air with as much zest as she could muster. Which, due to her general exhilaration and the coffee ingested, was a considerable amount. “You even manage to steal from me at home. When we are eating the same thing!”

Chloe on the other hand, chose a different route. Happy-go-lucky in her approach, she tried to goad Max into losing her composure, knowing full well that she was on the verge of laughter. “I have to make sure yours isn’t poisoned,” she replied, shrugging and taking a sip of her coffee.

“So you don’t trust your mom not to poison me?” Max asked, more and more chuckles slipping into and breaking up her voice.

“You can never be too sure, Maximus.”

“Okay. But what if it’s poisoned, what then?”

“Then mom probably wanted to kill you. Ought to give you some food for thought really. ‘Cause shame on you. There’d be no one left to do the dishes.”

The straw that broke the camel’s back, it had been reached. For one reason or another, Chloe did not care for the exact details, Max at last doubled over with laughter. It was a display of pure bliss. Perhaps, as she thought, all the hardships had affected her like a dam, holding back a stream of pent-up happiness waiting to be discovered. Perhaps even five years’ worth. Seeing her grip her stomach, eyes clenched shut as she repeatedly bumped her forehead into Chloe’s shoulder, all while expressing, “ _We are so dumb_ , _Chloe. Why are we so dumb_?” was, though not compensating for those times of adversity, without any doubt setting them on a hopeful path.

And Chloe was not about to let this moment pass. On the contrary, this was one to be seized, to be preserved. She leaned over the table, giving Max a playful shove in the process — though promptly receiving one in turn — with the ultimate intent of snatching up the camera. After all, there was film for one more picture just waiting to be used.

The next seconds were a blur, no more than snapshots.

“Three, two, one,” Chloe exclaimed, aiming the camera at Max. “Say… something!”

“Chloe!”

As were the seconds after that.

The flash went off, the camera whirred and stuttered, subject and photographer laughed and cackled until their faces tinged more red than rosy, advertisings made way for yet another slew of country songs, bacon sizzled in hot oil, a waitress hummed as she left the kitchen, and the world was all right.

“Oh man,” sighed Max, positively beaming. She slumped into the seat, into the booth, her body limp, her arms slack at her side. Her chest rose and fell with swift and heavy breaths, and another, hard snort escaped her when she muttered, “Because there’d be no one left to do the dishes… Damn it, Chloe…”

Meanwhile, a rather satisfied smirk had taken residence on Chloe’s face. “It would be a terrible tragedy,” she said, sliding the camera back over to Max’s side of the table. And although the picture she had taken had yet to clear up, Max seemed eager to see the result.

She took another large and resounding breath, exclaimed a not so quiet, “Whew!” fanning herself while doing so, then scooted closer to Chloe. Once more her head found rest on that familiar shoulder. “Thank you,” she said. “For making me laugh like that. You definitely deserve _all_ the extra bacon you can get.”

Not commentating, to instead let her smile and the kiss that followed do the talking, Chloe handed Max the picture. It was a little overexposed, not exactly well framed, and even a bit blurry, but it did the raw joy depicted no harm. Quite the opposite rang true.

“It turned out great,” said Max. “It feels… real. Like… You captured a moment, instead of creating one artificially.”

“Well.” Chloe chuckled. “I don’t know about that. After all I worked to get you there. But this?” She tapped her finger on the picture. “That smile? Worth it for that alone. Gives me… Gives me hope. So I’d say it’s definitely one for the wall.”

Max flashed a smile and nuzzled Chloe’s cheek, then brushed a kiss along her jaw as she handed back the picture. “Photographs open doors into the past,” she said. “but they also allow a look into the future. Sally Mann.”

“Oh no, no,” Chloe replied with haste. “Don’t you go all pretentious hipster artist on me now. It’s just a pic.”

“The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do. Andy—”

“Warhol,” Chloe cut her off.

Ever so slightly Max’s head jerked back. “You—”

“ _Yeah,_ ” Chloe replied. She tossed her hair back and puffed out her chest, held her chin high, and adopted her best nasally voice. “I know artsy things _._ ” As soon as she had spoken those few words, she slouched back, the fake smugness a little too far out of her comfort zone. Then she shrugged. “Well, mostly I know you. Also really not that hard to guess with how much of a hard-on you have for that guy.” For good measure she poked Max in the side. “I’d even bet you keep a picture of him in your bag or your locker.”

“ _No…_ ” Max mumbled, shaking her head and backing away ever so slightly. She did her best to sound convincing, even added a look which may as well have highlighted how preposterous of a claim it was, but then promptly dropped the façade when Chloe gave her a look in turn, raised eyebrows and all. “It’s in my locker,” she admitted, sighing as she did. “Don’t make fun of me. I just love his work.”

“Dude, baby, I’m just messing with you,” Chloe replied. “I’m not going to make fun of you for something you love. Probably hell of a lot better than what I kept in my locker…”

“You mean a bag of weed and a half-eaten donut?”

At that Chloe snorted, though it was but a feeble puff of air that escaped her nose. “Hell…” she said, “With the amount of times good old spiteful Raymond had my locker searched, a bag of weed wouldn’t have been the best of ideas. You’re right on the money with the donut thing though.”

The first part of Chloe’s reply left behind a bitter taste, nevertheless, Max allowed herself a grin at the second one. “Science experiment?” she asked, picking up her camera, and grabbing the pack of film she had ripped open earlier. “Or that patented Chloe tidiness?”

“Started out as B, then turned into A, and eventually into a moldy mess.”

“Ugh, eww! Okay…” Max shuddered, rolling her shoulders as if her own clothes were a source of filth and foulness. “Forget I asked. Guess I’m happy after all… That you cleaned your truck.”

“Yeah, god knows what was growing in there,” replied Chloe. “Probably sentient by now.”

“Highly likely more like.”

“That’s what probably means,” Chloe argued. Her answer brought about something between a groan and a grunt, though, as she realized, it may as well have stemmed from the resistance Max had stumbled upon in her current task. It seemed as though the plastic foil protecting her new film cartridge was not about to surrender without a fight. “Need a hand?”

“Nope,” said Max, a little effort straining her voice. And indeed she did not, as in that moment she was successful. Swiftly she discarded the foil, to then, with well-versed fingers yet also a lot of care — the expertise contained in the motion obvious — remove the empty film cartridge and slide in the new one. As soon as the compartment was shut, the camera began to whir and stutter again, spitting out an unassuming black piece of cardboard. Showing it to Chloe, Max continued, “And _this_ is a dark slide. A polaroid one.”

“Oh yes!” Chloe exclaimed. Not only did her face radiate, but to Max’s joy she also showed genuine interest. “Now I get it! It’s like what you’d see with those super old timey cameras right? Those big plates they slide in and out.”

“Exactly! But those are only are removed for the duration of the exposure and then slid back in place into the film holder. And they’re actually still used in today’s analogue photography.” Max breathed a deep and gratified sigh, doing so while smoothing down her blazer. “I-I would love to work with equipment like that one day. There’s something so… tactile about it. Using the power of light to capture a moment, to keep it safe… in a way… and to then later see it come back to life in a dark room. Digital just can’t capture that. It’s not the same.”

Chloe released a single breathy laugh before pressing closer, her lips only just grazing Max’s ear. “You were seriously born in the wrong century.”

“No…” Max disagreed. Her tone changed just enough to make what followed obvious. “I’m right where I need to be.”

Shaking her head, Chloe tried to come up with a clever retort, but ultimately found it the sole appropriate answer to Max’s almost taxing display of never-ending cuteness. But it did not mean she had nothing to say at all. “I’ll help you get there,” she stated. Out of context it sounded a little ominous, prompting a confused frown.

“To where?” 

“To that dream,” Chloe replied simply and without a second thought. “The one with old analogue equipment, the one with your own dark room, the one where you have your work exhibited in all the best galleries around the world. The one you’ve had since you were small. The one… where you’re happy.”

It was a peculiar dynamic they had settled into over the past week. At times playful, other times a little more competitive, they tried to one-up another in their shows of affection, a contest which had yet to come to an end as no clear winner had emerged. But sometimes, on those rare occasions, one of them inched out what could only be described as an upper hand. Whether caused voluntary or not, those moments had always been met with love and understanding, laughs and joy, become anchors in their common quest for a better future, and in the end, treasured memories. They were the source of strength and hope, the bane of regret and remorse.

It was no different this time.

Yet in almost every way it was.

Max pursed her lips, her gaze cast downward at the table. Slowness overcame her voice, just like her face grew vague and faraway, her mind cramped and busy. “Chloe…” she said. “I-I appreciate that… But can I talk to you about something?”

The answer would have been “Yes,” or any version thereof, timid and a little reluctant, but “Yes,” nonetheless. That was until a distraction caused a lapse in attention. It was no more than a minute at most, but the events that followed were enough to grant respite ahead of a none too easy conversation.

Neither Max nor Chloe were ones to complain.

The interruption took shape in the form of a strong gust of wind, and the entrance of a frazzled looking, older gentleman. He wore a simple black ball cap, and an oversized grey parka. His arrival was just as rushed as the fashion with which he then scrambled past the counter to round the corner, his goal plainly the kitchen — slowing down for but a second to greet the girls with a friendly smile and an equally friendly, “Good morning. How are you doing?”

What he had failed to notice was that in his haste and wake he had, like Max and Chloe had almost done earlier, caused the paperwork left on the counter to scatter to the winds. Though most of it remained more or less in place, a handful of sheets landed on the floor below. Two of them close to the booth Max and Chloe had claimed as their own.

Lenny for her part — having over the course of the past five minutes scurried back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room at least a half a dozen times — shot him a look caught somewhere between relief, annoyance and disappointment. When she rolled up the sleeve of her blouse however, revealing a wristwatch and a tattoo depicting a dandelion, that look without any doubt changed into the latter. She did not say anything. The two slow finger taps on her watch, and the intense eye contact she maintained, conveyed more than enough on their own. Once acknowledged with a nod, apologetic in its nature, she stepped aside to let him pass, and into the kitchen.

With the man gone, everybody’s attention shifted to the scattered pieces of paper. Lenny, after having adjusted her blouse, first began to collect what was left on the counter, giving Max and Chloe, though primarily the former, ample opportunity to take a glance at the ones on the floor. It was indeed paperwork. Calculations, invoices and orders, no doubt relating to the diner. Yet hidden in their midst were drawings, skillful and intricate sketches of dresses and flower arrangements, all collected under a single heading. “ _Grace._ ”

As her quest brought Lenny closer to the booth, Chloe got up to help, to retrieve the two sheets closest to them. She did not wish to pry, but the nature of the task made it impossible not to. So it was that she saw something which made the gears in her head turn ever faster. The dresses were in fact of the wedding variety.

Things took a slight detour into awkwardness when she handed everything over, with Lenny, who all but towered over her — a rather unusual circumstance as Chloe recognized, and strangely intimidating to boot — not seeming as tall as she actually was. Mousiness, it appeared, was a universal emotion. Never had a brief, harmless span of time seemed like an eternity, but despite herself, Chloe had every intention of sating at least part of her curiosity.

“Uhm… can I ask you… Do you actually own this place?” she said, referring to the scene which had taken place behind the counter, and nodding in the direction thereof.

“Oh! Yes, yes…” Lenny replied. Right away she slipped back into business mode, both physically and mentally. With the stack of papers held close to her chest, she elaborated. “I took over earlier this year. In spring, before the rush of the main season. The previous owner had left the business in tatters, and since then I’ve been putting every minute I have, free or not, into rebuilding it. It’s a lot of long hours, but we’re getting there.”

“For what it’s worth,” piped up Max, leaning forward with her elbows on the table to peer past Chloe, and at Lenny. “I really like your diner. Gives me this warm and cozy feeling.”

“Thank you, that’s very nice,” said Lenny. Her hand laid flat on her heart, and her head dipped in a slight bow. The gesture and her voice, both brimmed with appreciation. “This place, it’s a passion project,” she continued, pulling a business card out of her apron. “Here.” She handed it to Chloe. “Tell your friends. The Dancing Bears inn of Crescent Cove.”

“Uh… Yeah… Will do... Thanks.” Chloe shot her a quick smile. Lost in thought, she then slunk back into the booth. By now the gears in her head spun at breakneck speed, and when she stared at the card, that pace grew yet more extreme. By more than just a notch, in fact. “Can I ask you something else?”

“Aye, sure,” replied Lenny. She was back behind the counter already, in the midst of rifling through, what by the clinking sound of it, could only be a drawer brimming with cutlery. “Go ahead.”

Despite that green light, Chloe hesitated. She fidgeted with the card, reading it over as though it were a novel of outstanding quality. When she spoke it was almost out of nowhere. “You don’t happen to be hiring, don’t you?”

Next to her, Max not so quietly choked on her coffee.

“As a matter of fact, we are,” Lenny said. “I have a waiting position open. Part-time only, however. Know someone interested?”

“Huh…” Chloe mused. “I think I just might.”

“Well. My number is on the card. I’ve got a rake of work—” On cue the family Max had observed earlier entered the diner. “—for whoever wants a stab at it. So please do tell them to give me a call. I’m sure we can work something out.” She smiled at her newly arrived patrons, taking special care to wave at the girl. “Now, please excuse me.”

Questions surged to the tip of Max’s tongue, and the fore of her mind alike. If they had not done so already. Curious and keen, she cleared her throat, tugged on Chloe’s sleeve, claimed her attention, and whispered, “What was that about? I thought you told Joyce to try her hand at teaching.”

“Well… Actually…” Absent-mindedly, Chloe kept fiddling with the business card. By the time she eventually spoke again, she had folded it up into a neat triangle. “I was asking for myself.”

It was another long moment until anything else was said.

Max did not hide her surprise. Nor was she able to. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers, her gaze dazed, her tone rising more than a single vocal pitch when she exclaimed, “Oh… Okay… I-I didn’t know…”

“Yeah, no, I uh…” After dropping the card to take a healthy sip of her coffee, Chloe then turned so she could face Max. Her vulnerable side had barged back into prominence, and as though attempting to regain a modicum of courage, she took Max’s hand, cradling it within both of her own. “I… I didn’t mention it yesterday… But… I’ve just been thinking a lot, you know?”

“Okay.” Max was ever gentle in her approach. “I’m listening. Go on, it’s okay.”

A smile toyed with Chloe’s lips, but it was gone quicker than it had appeared in the first place. In its stead, the muscles of her face drew taut. “I-I— I don’t know what I’m gonna do,” she said. “But I’ve thought about it… about what comes next… In a few weeks you’ll be going back to school and then we can’t hang out like we can now. And then I’ll be alone again for most of the day, and… W-well if have to be alone then I might as well earn some money. At first I thought maybe for mom. To help her you know? Because money’s tight right now. But then I just saw those wedding dresses she drew and…” She sighed.

“She’s talented,” replied Max. “Lenny. I guess she’s excited.” It was not a ploy to switch topics, but the hope to inject a little levity into the conversation prevailed regardless.

It also failed to work.

“Well, duh… Like you wouldn’t be,” said Chloe. In no time at all she returned to the topic at hand, by saying, “But that’s not the point, Max. Those drawings… They reminded me that we’ll be there someday too, and when that day comes I wanna be able to give you something… everything… And I got to earn money to do that.”

Max was speechless. There was no other way of describing it. She had been at a loss for words many times before, in fact it was not that rare of an occurrence. But then there was this time. This time was different. Not even her eyes, not even her floundering gestures managed to convey what her mouth could not. It was, quite simply put, too much at once.

But Chloe, in her current state, with her guard down, read the situation differently. She panicked. “W-what?” she said. “What did I do? Did I say something wrong?” She went as far as to let go of Max’s hand, even tried to shuffle away, but was stopped at once. By Max.

“No, no, Chloe,” she said. While patting Chloe’s leg for comfort, she continued, the jumbled mess in her head having been set straight just enough by the reaction it had fallen upon. “It’s okay. I mean… I-I… Look, I get what you’re saying. I get it, I do. I really do. A-and it’s great that you want to do something like that for me. Or even at all. And I appreciate it so much. But Chloe…” She fixed her with a stare, intense but also thoughtful and kind. “ _What about you?_ ”

“What do you mean?” Chloe asked, frowning. “I don’t understand.” The unadulterated obliviousness with which the sentences were phrased, managed to be endearing, and at the same time shocking — yet they also led Max back to the discussion she had been denied minutes ago.

“Well, I mean—” She sighed, still not wholly comfortable. But despite her second thoughts, despite those reservations, the subject needed to be addressed. “It’s the same thing as earlier. When we talked about going my speed. Or just now… About helping me fulfill my dreams. I was actually just about to tell you.”

“Tell me what?” asked Chloe. Max’s attempt at a coherent reply had not helped matters, not at all.

“That we’re Max _and_ Chloe. Not just…” Max offered an ever so faint shrug. “Max alone.” For a second she paused, a bid to let the words sink in. “We do things together, we help each other. Like… I want to be a photographer, and I want to see my work in those galleries you mentioned. And you’re helping me get there, and that is so great, and I am so thankful for that. But…” Again she paused, reaching out to let her thumb trace the hard line that was Chloe’s jaw. “What about you? I want you to be happy too. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that it’s a bad idea, getting this job… But please Chloe. Don’t make it about me.”

“I…” was all Chloe said. It was all she could say. Even maintaining eye contact became an arduous task.

“Look, Chloe…” Max continued. Her hand moved up to cup Chloe’s cheek, and in a by now innate motion Chloe nuzzled into it. And it made Max smile and forget the world and say, “I want you to be happy. I want you to follow your own dreams, not mine. And if your dream is really to make me happy and nothing else then… then okay. I won’t stop or blame you. But I’ve known you so long, and sure, I haven’t always been in your life, but I still know you. What happened to becoming a crazy scientist, or some ragged adventurer… or… whatever… Your dreams, Chloe? I don’t know what happened to those, but… You must have some, right? And whatever they are, they are important too.”

Chloe opened her mouth, but before she said anything she shook her head. Even then the words eluded her. Even then, when she thought about it, she realized Max was right. What felt worse however, much worse, was that she too had no clue, no idea, not even an inkling. Not anymore. Whatever those dreams were — if they still existed in the first place — she had long since lost track of them.

It used to be simple. Run away, leave Arcadia Bay forever and never look back. But beyond that, beyond that one dream, that one hope, one which may as well not have been hers at all, there was nothing. And that realization, it stung, it dug deep into her heart. And in that pain she glanced away, anywhere but in those eyes of Max’s. And when she did, Max could see the tears glisten.

But the pain granted her one reassurance, the reassurance reprieve from the tears. “I don’t even know what’s going on in my own head… It’s been so much at once…” she said. “And I don’t know what I’m going to do. But I do know that I wanna be with you no matter what. Because it helps me. So right now, stupid as it sounds, that’s my dream, Max. You’re my dream.”

Heartwarming and heartrending, the emotions elicited in Max were but two sides of the very same coin. Still, she gave a smile, the kind you would shoot a frightened child. “It’s all right,” it said, and it reached a soul, lost and without a light to guide it. But perhaps all it needed was a glimmer, a promise of sorts, locked away in memories Max for once found herself seeking out. “Can I tell you something?” she said. “And can we forget about our rule for two minutes?”

Chloe nodded, eventually and after hesitation, and she could not help but note that Max picked up the crumpled business card, her fingers working on their own accord to unfold it, to smooth out the creases, to keep themselves occupied and her nerves soothed.

“Before I came back to you, that evening, the night of the party,” Max said. “When I was… you know…”

Chloe did know. “You don’t have to—”

“No, listen,” Max interrupted. “I tried everything to save you. I rewound and rewound, over and over again to save you. And at some point I thought I did. It sounds so crazy and mental and I hate talking about it, but…” She shook her head, fingers continually working. “Well… It’s not about me. It’s about you. You decided to go back to school. Bay City College. You sent me a text telling me you had finished the paperwork. And sure… it was just another fucked-up reality I twisted together, and sure that person was not… _you_. Not my you. Not my Chloe, anyway...” She felt her hands stop working, she felt Chloe’s touch, she saw her expression, every motion sure and gentle even now — and she returned the sentiment in kind.

Then she lapsed into silence.

For several lengthy seconds there was nothing. No talk, no conversation, only touches and glances, small and faint, their lips ultimately betraying their true feelings.

“I’m not going to college,” said Chloe. She struggled to keep the sadness out of her voice. “I’m a fucking high school drop-out, Max… I was sixteen and now I’m nineteen. I couldn’t even go back to high school, even if I wanted to… I’m… I’m a….” Failure was the first word that surged to her mind. The first of many, none of them good.

“You could get a GED,” Max replied, carefully. “People do it all the time. You wouldn’t be the first. Nothing to be ashamed about either.”

Chloe’s eyebrows drew together. “Max… I just… I don’t know.”

The way Chloe’s shoulders slumped, the way her voice cracked, each left Max with an ever increasing feeling of defeat. Involuntarily, she mimicked the motions. “I’m sorry… I was just… trying to help I guess.”

There was another silence, long and uncomfortable, at the end of which Chloe spoke again. She could not deny it. A prospect had been laid out, and though her failures in school remained a subject none too easy to deal with, or to address, she perked up. Ever so slightly. “Do you really think I could get a GED?” she asked. “Then go to college with you, eventually? Us back together, in school? Like when we were kids?”

Perhaps that glimmer had found its way to her after all.

“Of course,” replied Max, the answer quick like a bullet. “You’re intelligent, you’re talented, you’re a hard worker…” She found herself chuckling, despite the situation. “At least when you want to. Or do I have to remind you who of us had the better grades?” At that Chloe chuckled too. “You can do anything, Chloe. I know you can. And I’m not telling you what to do. I can’t decide for you, I-I won’t. I just thought I’d tell you about something you already did. In a way. In some other life. Because I don’t want you to regret _your_ life.”

Without missing a beat, Chloe was in Max’s arms. A mishmash of emotions vied for dominance over her heart and face alike — confusions, hopes, fears and yearnings — and Max understood each and every one. She didn’t even need to look. She just knew. And though the conversation was far from done and dusted, the way Chloe held onto to her, quietly nodding, the way her head fit so perfectly into the crook that were Max’s shoulders, and the way her lips quirked up when she pulled away, it all told Max she would return to it at her own pace, in her own time.

For now, and with a miniscule yet most welcome chuckle, she said, “Can we uhm… Can we use the rule again, please?”

Max replied with a laugh, equally tiny. “Since when have you become such a stickler for the rules?” she asked. The tease earned her one of those playful shoves Chloe so very much liked to dispense, and in turn she grinned, white teeth flashing. “We could talk about something else, if you’d like… Like maybe… that marriage thing you mentioned? Seems like someone’s thinking ahead already.”

“Yeah, no, I uh…” She picked up the business card, flicked it between her fingers, and at last banished it into her pocket. With it out of sight, she perked up even further. “I’m just being realistic. I know we’ve only been together for like a week, sure, but in a way we’ve been together for far longer. And like I said… When I saw those damn dresses she drew…”

“As beautiful as you would look,” said Max, “I can’t imagine you willingly wearing one of those.”

 “Oh _hell_ no.” Chloe giggled. “That’s gonna be your job.”

“Hmm, well, you say that now…” Max countered, her eyes raking over the length of Chloe’s body. A suit would most likely be Chloe’s garment of choice, true, but a simple strapless dress, nothing too constricting, cream or champagne colored to complement her skin tone, would agree well with her. Or so Max thought anyway, her limited knowledge of all things fashion exhausted already. What remained was the notion. Perhaps, she realized, Chloe was not alone in those daydreams.

Her hunch was promptly confirmed. She must have stared a second too long, as she was jerked back to reality when Chloe snapped her fingers in front of her face. “Earth to spaced-out hipster,” she said. “You were saying something?”

“Oh… Yeah, yeah…” Max replied, shaking her head, biting her lip to contain her grin. “I was just saying that a lot has changed in two weeks. A lot more can change in a few years.”

“A few years, huh? Seems I’m not the only one planning ahead.”

“You’re planning now?”

“Wasn’t that what you were just doing?”

At last Max’s grin came out in full force. The game Chloe played was one she by now had grown re-accustomed to as well. “Well… You know how it is,” she said, leaning on her elbows, “We still have those five years to make up for, all those experiences to make. So…” She paused for dramatic effect. “I’m just being realistic.”

“And impossible,” Chloe stated flatly and outright.

“Un- _bear_ -able.”

“Ly,” Chloe corrected. “Unbeara _bly._ Amazing, talented, cute, adorable, beautiful, incredible, smart, I could go on and on… So just you wait. I’m gonna marry you someday, Caulfield. I’m gonna marry you so hard you won’t know wha—”

And before Chloe knew what hit _her_ , lips crashed together, breaths caught in their lungs, fingers threaded through blue hair and found purchase on rosy cheeks, and the kiss that followed was filled with hope and promise, love and understanding, and it made their hearts soar and beat in unison, and in case of a proposal it would have been an answer it and of itself.

When they eventually pulled away, out of breath and with lips tilted upward, each of them slouching back in satisfaction, Chloe said, shrugging and as dryly as possible, “I suppose I’ll let you have that one.”

Ever so humble in victory, apart from one of those self-satisfied smirks, Max chose not to comment any further, preferring to take a long sip of her coffee until the mug almost bottomed out. Again. As much as it pained her to admit it, the coffee served in the Two Whales paled in comparison. “I like this,” she said. “Sitting here, like this, with you. Talking and—”

“Making out.”

“And—”

“Making out some more.”

Max chuckled. “Sure, okay. But speaking of planning, and sitting, and making out… What do you actually want to do today? You know we can’t sit here forever…”

“Hmm…” Chloe’s fingers had found their way over to Max’s thigh, trailing up and down, but never venturing too close, and never straying too far. She could see the faintest blush, but true to her word, Max did not object. “I thought we could just hike up to the lake like we used to. Then relax, lie in the sun, talk and...”

“Make out?”

“If you insist...”

“I do.”

Chloe sighed with all the exaggeration she could muster, her face a comically blank façade of faked indifference. “Okay, I suppose we can do that... And since I brought that cooler with us…”

“We could have a picnic.”

“Exactly, yeah. So, what about you. Any ideas?”

“Well, we are in Crescent Cove,” Max stated as she surveyed the overlook, the beach and the ocean that sprawled beneath the cliffs. “So, call me a walking cliché, but I kinda wanna go for a romantic stroll at the beach. At sunset. Like you’d see in the movies…”

“Aww, look at us,” cooed Chloe. “Hopeless romantics. But okay. Picnic and stroll along the beach it is then. Now we just need something to eat.”

And then, not a second too late, or too soon, the kitchen door swung open once again, this time with the promise of blueberry pancakes and whipped cream, omelet and turkey, hash browns and too many calories in general, all of it stacked on large plates, and all of it heading in their direction.

And of course, there was extra bacon.


	22. The Doe And The Butterfly – Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little disclaimer: When I imported this chapter from my document to post, it made a mess of my formatting. It took me hours to fix it, and I apologize if there's some stuff I overlooked. Got a headache from it, as a simple re-import did not fix it.

  


####  _Setting Sail_

  


  


Chloe, without a doubt and for lack of a better word, was at a loss. She did not know how Max managed it — skipping, bounding, positively frolicking over rocks and roots in those thin-soled sneakers she wore — yet somehow she did, unfazed by the at times exacting terrain. She was like a little girl who skipped ahead whenever she was excited, for whom the forest was a giant playground waiting to be explored, who found wonder behind every tree and plant, unable to stay still or rest her mind.

Not that Chloe was one to complain, far from it. She trailed behind — backpack hoisted over her shoulder and cooler in hand — observing or more accurately, overseeing the scene, herself infected by the unparalleled enthusiasm and the childlike amazement on display. She considered it the cutest sight in the world, perhaps even the universe, and only when Max lifted her body onto a fallen tree trunk to balance along its length, though admittedly more clambering than climbing to do so, did she speak up.

“Dude,” she yelled, disturbing the relative calmness of the forest. “I think you went a little overboard with the coffee. Or was it those pancakes?”

Distance was no obstacle to Max’s giggles, the sound thereof a constant companion mingling with the chatter of birds, the combination melding into a single melody. “They were in fact really good,” she replied, her arms extended on either side as she put careful step in front of careful step. Once she reached the far end of the log she jumped off, landing on the carpet of pine needles which cushioned their every step, only to then spin around, climb up once more, and repeat it all over.

Chloe shook her head, but the grin she wore spoke volumes. “Just don’t break your neck.”

“You sound like your mom,” came the instantaneous reply.

“Well it does feel like I’m taking a walk with my kid.” Having by now caught up with Max and the log she balanced on, there was no need for Chloe to yell anymore. Instead she adopted what could only be described as her best motherly tone. “Now be careful my dear child,” she said, “we wouldn’t want you to get hurt, all right?”

“You can’t tell me what to do!” replied Max. By the looks and sounds of it she had made it to those teenage years every parent dreaded, and, fraught with rebellion as they tend to be, she leapt off the tree trunk as though she had no other choice but to defy authority. She landed mere inches away from Chloe, doing so in a most Max-like fashion. Then she stuck out her tongue and charged ahead again, earning herself something between a groan and a sigh.

She did not run far, however. Up the narrow trail, brushing and rushing past ferns and bushes, she at most made it fifty feet before changing her mind again. In no time at all she had rejoined Chloe, panting. “It’s just. I love this so much. I love all the colors, I love the cute critters everywhere—” In perpetual motion she orbited Chloe from left to right, from back to front, a whirl energized by caffeine and the promise of this day. “—I, I love that earthy smell when the ground is still wet, I love the birds. I just— I love fall _so much_. I’m _so_ happy you brought us here, Chloe. Thank you.”

“Yep,” Chloe said, then waited a beat and dead-panned, “Definitely too much coffee.”

“She kept refilling! And it was on the house…”

“Doesn’t mean you have to drink it.”

“But—” Max’s mouth dropped open, stayed that way for a series of instants, and eventually snapped shut again as a fitting rebuke eluded her. The logic levelled her way was irrefutable, as much as it upset her to admit. Not quite as gracious in defeat as humble in victory, she pouted, snorted mockingly, frowned for good measure, trudged along next to Chloe, and muttered something along the lines of how it would have been a shame to let that coffee go to waste.

What followed was relative stillness, marked less by reflective thoughts, and more by nervous agitation. It also lasted for all but ten seconds. Ten seconds at the most. “So. Favorite season,” Max exclaimed, tugging hard on Chloe’s sleeve with the bubbly liveliness of a six-year-old drunk on her own youth. “Go. Tell me.”

Perhaps that fourth refill may have been one too much after all, she reckoned.

Chloe, at any rate, remained more than happy to indulge. “Hmm,” she mused out loud, her eyes firmly trained on the ground. They were about to scale a flight of uneven steps carved into the side of a mossy rock face. Dipped in shadow, the area was damp and slippery, the ascent treacherous in no small part due to the cedar that loomed above — askew and weathered, its roots twisted and snaked into the tiniest crevices — and despite the braided steel cable railing. Hence it was of little surprise when the rest of her answer tarried. Even Max abided, euphoria traded for vigilance in case Chloe were to slip.

Fortunately no such thing came to pass. After a series of particularly steep steps the incline evened out, and not before long they found themselves back on solid ground. The trail once more meandered past trees and rocks, and another forty feet later it widened, providing Max with the opportunity to rush to Chloe’s side. Though the temptation to forge ahead existed still, she exercised restraint and simply kept pace.

“Winter, I think,” Chloe stated. Smiling at Max she held out her free hand, an offer she was taken up on at once. “Or maybe summer. I’ve always liked the warmer seasons,” she continued. “Summer vacation, you know? But there’s something about winter that’s just awesome. Or it used to be at least.”

Needless to say, Max was no stranger to the nostalgia Chloe had dipped into. “Fuzzy blankets and entire mornings spent watching cartoons or playing games on your old console,” she said. “And we never took of our PJs. Too comfy.”

“Fuzzy blankets? Really?” said Chloe, dumbstruck. “All I remember is you hogging those.”

“I did no such—”

Chloe shot her a look, and it spoke for itself. Still, Max was not about to give in without a fight. “I am no—” As though Chloe had read her mind she glared, again, lifting her eyebrows as if to issue an unspoken challenge.

“Fine.” Max pouted. “Bacon thief. Blanket thief…”

“Crazed caffeine addict.”

“I must be horrible company.”

They skirted a puddle that was more mud than water, their arms extended and straining to keep their fingers woven together. “Nah, you’re pretty okay,” admitted Chloe, and with a wink she added, “All things considered.”

The smile Max flashed in that moment, cheerful and coy and tinged with mischief, was a reward Chloe wanted to keep chasing for the rest of her life, to the ends of the earth. Yet for Max it was just that. A smile. As a matter of fact she did not much think of it, after all she had found herself doing it a lot today. Smiling, often for no reason and at nothing in particular.

But there was a reason. It walked next to her, it held onto her hand, it gazed — swept away, enchanted. That smile; for Chloe, no matter how often she saw it, no matter how often it tugged on her heart, it felt like it was the first time all over again.

“Oh! Oh!” Max exclaimed in a sudden stream of words that brought to a premature end seconds of silence and Chloe’s daydreams alike. “Remember that one year? There was so much snow that we decided to build an igloo in the backyard! We even drew plans and enlisted your dad, and we were _so_ sure we’d be able to spend the night outside.”

Chloe chuckled. “I remember the epic snowball fight we had instead.”

“I won that one,” boasted Max.

“It was _at least_ a tie.”

“Tie my ass. I _owned_ you, fair and square. You just never got over the fact that I have better aim than you.”

Now it was Chloe’s turn to pout, because Max was right. For someone otherwise gifted with little grace she possessed an almost uncanny ability to hit her target (Chloe, mostly), a happenstance in general countered by Chloe’s more hands-on approach. More often than not their snowball fights of days past thus devolved into full-fledged wrestling matches; fistfuls of snow rammed down the back of their coats included.

“Pff. At least the snowmen I built looked better…” Chloe muttered, kicking a pebble.

“ _Really_?” said the look Max gave, but “Your snowmen always had boobs,” was the reply she actually offered. To illustrate her point, she let go of Chloe’s hand. “Like the biggest you could give ‘em. _Sooo_ big.”

“So what?” Chloe shrugged off the answer verbally as well as physically, attempting to sound as casual as possible. But with Max’s antics taking wonderful and ever stranger turns — she had started waddling like a penguin, for reasons Chloe failed to fully grasp — she struggled to keep the grin off her face and the mirth out of her voice. If she had not known better, she would have thought Max had tumbled across one of her emergency joints. More than once, in fact. “I just always knew what I was into,” she declared furthermore. “Also, for the record, tits are hella awesome.”

“And _you_ …” Max snickered, made a face, and cackled some more. Then she gently shouldered into Chloe, a gesture which was returned in kind, as had become custom. “Are the tits. Not just any tits. _The_ tits. Like the best. Seriously. You’re the best, Chloe.”

Rarely did Chloe’s replies die so often in a jumbled mess of words and thoughts as on this day. All she mustered was another shake of her head and a peck on Max’s temple, before twining their fingers together once again.

Every breeze smelled of dew and pine, and with every step the ground squished beneath boots and sneakers. The wind tossed leaves along the trail, turning it into a mess of orange and red, while sunlight dappled their skin as canopies rustled above. Not before long, the pitter-patter of trickling water joined the fray, seamlessly blending into the melodies of the forest.

“We should do that again some time,” said Max, a touch quieter now. “Get up in the morning, then watch old cartoons. Don’t get dressed until it’s almost time for bed again anyway. Or don’t get up at all and stay in bed for hours.” She chuckled. “Then try and build a huge pillow fort only to fall asleep.”

A twinkle brightened Chloe’s eyes. She had never forgotten those days, had found refuge in them in the past, and could list them by the dozen. With a smile in her heart, but a sigh all the same, she spun the tale further. “Stuff our faces with cookies.” 

“Or cake.”

“Drink hot cocoa until we’d get sick.”

“Or panic because we actually spilled it on the bed sheets.”

“Yeah...” With an otherwise suddenly vacant gaze Chloe stared ahead, averting her attention for but an instant to shoot Max a smile. “Mom ended up throwing that blanket away.”

“And mine grounded me when she heard.”

Chloe laughed, but it was quick to fade. Her face took on a more measured look, the smile she wore turning from toothy to barely there. It made Max frown and mimic the motion. “You’re right,” she said. “We should do something like that again. Definitely...”

Her shift in mood, rather overt despite her better intentions, gave Max cause for concern. “Is something wrong?” she asked, tightening her grip on Chloe’s hand and inching a little closer. “Did I say something?”

“No, no...” Chloe replied, shaking her head in an almost dejected kind of way. “It’s nothing you said. I’m just thinking.”

Over the past minute, little by little the sound of running water had grown closer, louder, and soon the source made itself known. A creek, nestled between the banks of a ravine – shallow yet fairly wide – splashed down a gentle slope, over pebbles and past rocks and boulders, to ultimately crash and rumble over a ridge further downstream. Leading across was a mossy wooden footbridge, the trail continuing to ascend just beyond.

When Max jarred to a halt, but a foot short of said bridge, with a look that told they would not move unless Chloe caved, the latter’s shoulders slumped in that  _what-other-choice-do-I-have_ sort of way. She knew Max would not take no for an answer, that there was no point in denial. So she sighed, again, and said, “Let’s sit down for a bit, okay? Let’s take a break.”

“Okay… All right.” Max did not sound not entirely convinced, but let herself be tugged along nonetheless. 

The bridge creaked under their feet, the logs groaning but by all appearances sturdy. Chloe did not waste any time shrugging off her backpack, stretching kinks out of her back. Then she sat down, letting her feet dangle above the creek, silent. Max followed suit, resting her arms on the railing, and in turn her chin on her arms. 

Water and time trickled by in steady rhythms. Insects droned and leaves rustled. The smell of rotting bark and humidity permeated the area. Pine needles drifted downstream. 

And for long moments they sat there. 

At some point, Chloe retrieved a bottle of water. She took a sip, handed it to Max, who took one as well, then stashed it back into her backpack. What had been up until now an uneasy silence at best, turned truly uncomfortable at worst. More and more Max felt like she had to speak up, to say something. And so she did.

“It’s nice here,” she said. “It’s peaceful.”

Chloe nodded her agreement, and a smile passed her lips. “I’m sorry,” she said, picking up a pebble, one of countless that were scattered across the bridge, caught in the gaps between weathered logs and planks. “All this talk about getting a job, and school, and just now about… those old days. Reminded me of how far we’ve come.”

Max understood, but she also got the sense there was more to it. “And where we were.”

"Yeah...” Chloe hefted the pebble in her hand, threw it in the air, and caught it. Repeatedly. Eventually, she faced Max. “Back when we used to draw those silly comics. Us being super heroes. Or when pirates were the coolest shit we knew. Sometimes I just miss being a kid. Things were so much easier.”

“I… I miss those days as well, Chloe.” Max’s features dropped a little. “But sadly we’re not kids anymore.”

“Max, I know that...” As though annoyed by the reality of the situation, Chloe flung the pebble into the water below. It caused a considerable splash, dropping in with a loud _plop,_ and sending ripples across the surface. Without delay, Chloe picked up another pebble. “I don’t know if you’ve ever given it much thought,” she continued, “but we never had the chance to grow out of it. Suddenly it was all just...” In one smooth motion she threw the next pebble, and snapped her fingers. “ _Gone_. One day it all changed, it all went away just like that. But we never got to go there at our own pace. You know what I mean? We never had that moment come up when we could talk and laugh about how stupid we were. We never woke up some random-ass day, embarrassed about all the shit we did. We never grew up on our own. Together. Maybe that’s why we’re still reminiscing like that even now.”

“Maybe,” Max answered. She stared straight ahead, into the water below, watching tiny insects skim away from the ripples brought about by Chloe’s pebbles. “Maybe it’s because we haven’t had that much to look forward to?” She shrugged at her own question. “But it’s just nostalgia, right? It’s harmless.”

“Maybe.” Chloe reclined, using her hands to support herself. “Or more like melancholy. Flirting with the past and all that.”

_Flirting with the past_ . A smile toyed with Max’s lips, she liked that phrase, she decided. Sure, years had been lost and memories passed, yet nothing had ever gone away, it all still existed, somewhere. A life like a picture, torn apart and crumpled up, then taped back together, stained with tears and glossy lipstick. “I don’t think that’s so bad either,” she thus said, herself relaxing, sprawling on the bridge, soaking in the sounds and sights of autumnal decline. “Not if you can share it with someone. And sometimes that’s just what you need.”

“But it shouldn’t be today,” Chloe replied. “And yet for the life of me I can’t get it out of my head.”

A cloud rolled by overhead, disturbing the ever-shifting dance that were the narrows shafts of sunlight. Out of the corner of her eyes, Max glanced at Chloe. “I mean do you want to stop? Thinking back?”

“No.” Chloe shook her head, smiled at Max and lay down as well, eyes now too trained to the sky. “That’s actually it. I don’t wanna stop. I want to do all those things we just talked about. I wanna stay in bed all day and watch cartoons, I wanna build a pillow fort and play old games… I wanna... I mean if we’re growing up and moving on, I wanna do so on our terms. Even if it’s just for one last time.”

It was more than nostalgia, more than melancholy. Memories, never rewritten by the passage of time, clear as the day they were made, their life a puzzle missing lonely pieces longing to be made whole. “I guess there’s more to coming here after all,” said Max. “This place. Last time we were still playing pirates. Playing hide and seek. Driving your folks crazy. Being kids.”

“Yeah...” Chloe drew in a heavy breath, the air hissing out in a languid stream. “We were probably super annoying,” she said with a chuckle, “but I don’t think we were stupid. I can’t, because– “

She did not need to spell out her thoughts for Max to know. From the very day they first met, from the very moment they embarked on their adventure that was their lives, Chloe had always been the driving force behind hijinks, shenanigans, plans and schemes – and Max an all too willing participant, always. Even now parts of them, never dormant for long, stirred, on one hand a captain without a first mate, on the other a first mate without a captain.

One day it had all changed. A single tick of the clock meant a life altered forever. Chloe’s dreams, her hopes, her happiness – one moment to the next it all became null and void. And that vulnerable piece of herself, the one that needed her friend, her childhood, she had no choice but to lock it away as she set out on the lonesome road that were the years to come. But deep down, that piece had always been with her, waiting to be set free, carried into adulthood. Deep down she had always been that same girl. The girl who never stopped dreaming, the girl who never stopped believing, the pirate, the adventurer. Life had trialed her, had shaped her, but never managed to change who she was, her story not an open book but one told between the lines.

In her heart, Chloe was still that girl who only wanted to play pirates with her best and only friend.

“I remember us running ahead,” recalled Max, voice laced with fondness, her gaze following a flock of migratory birds, smiling. “Because we wanted to search for treasure up there on the lake.”

“Yeah, I know. I remember,” Chloe replied. Neither knowing, nor suspecting what Max was getting at, she nevertheless gave a lopsided grin. “Dad fishing. Mom making fun of him. We talked about it earlier.”

“Sure.” Max thrust herself up onto her elbows, beaming down at Chloe with white teeth flashing. “But I also remember us never actually finding that treasure.”

Once recognition dawned, Chloe cast Max a curious examination. She chanced a smile and sat up herself, her face within an instant the very picture of intrigue and giddiness. “You can’t be serious, right?”

“Aye, me captain,” Max replied. “I be deadly serious.” For all intents and purposes she should not have been able to grin with any more vigor. Yet she managed, her eagerness for the situation on full display. She grabbed Chloe’s hands and rose to her feet, positively bounced up to be exact – five cups of coffee proving to be exactly what they needed. “For too many years I was adrift at sea, lost and uh… alone on the briny depths, missing and thinkin’ ‘bout me hearty every day. Surrounded by uh, uh… uhm… Ah!” She giggled, the sound heavenly. “Surrounded by treacherous scallywags all I could think about was the booty we had yet to discover, all the plunders we had yet to loot. And after all those years, I think it be high time for us to set sail once again.”

With Max tugging on her hands, urging her  to stand up, it was easy for Chloe to comply. She wanted to laugh and cry and kiss and gift the world to this girl, her guiding light, her dream given flesh, and she wanted to do it all on this bridge, over this creek. “So, one last adventure?” she said, stepping closer, two pairs of lips drawing nearer to one another. “Long Max Silver?”

The captain and her first mate, the First Mate and her Captain – reunited at last.

“No,” answered the First Mate. “The first of many more. For even if we don’t find that treasure, Captain Bluebeard and Long Max Silver shall sail these seas forever.”

  


####  _The Treasures Of Firefly Lake_

  


  


“Seriously, I don’t know why you insist on carrying both the backpack  _ and _ that cooler,” said Max, her voice loud enough to carry through the forest. Once more she had barged ahead – “ _ scouting the perilous passages of the wilderness,”  _ as she called it. “At least let me help, I’m not that weak. And what’s in there anyway?”

Chloe was not about to tell, and nor was she about to ask for aid. “You’re on picture duty,” was her reply, simple and to the point. “I can handle this.”

Having spotted a signpost, Max stopped to ensure they were headed in the right direction. With the confirmation that their destination was no more than a mile away, she faced Chloe, waiting for her to catch up. “You know you can’t force an artist to work, right? So come on… please let me help.”

Chloe’s backpack, battered by years of use, did indeed strain her shoulders. Likewise, the cooler she carried, filled with more than just snacks and basic supplies, warranted a switch of hands every so often, as the handle thereof dug into her palms. Yet she remained stubborn, and the answer the same. “Captain’s orders,” they were.

But as it so happened, on occasion captain’s orders did harbor the potential to be misguided, despite best intentions. In this case, First Mate Long Max Silver certainly did not agree. Crouching down, she pawed around the forest floor, hands grubbing through leaves, only for her to shoot up the next moment and yell, “Then maybe it be time for a mutiny!” all while she threw a pine cone at her captain.

Luckily the latter managed to duck out of the way. The pine cone soared past her head and tumbled to the ground – without a doubt it would have found its target otherwise. “Hey!” she yelled, now picking up pace as well and barely keeping in check a bout of laughter. “Half an hour ago we said we’d sail forever! And now you’re talking about mutiny? You know what I do to mutineers!”

Chloe’s threat, it appeared, achieved its desired effect. With her head lowered and hands put up in surrender, Max shuffled back to her, her intent to meet half-way clear. “All right, all right, Cap’n,” she said, “I’ll walk the plank. But before that...” Her hand darted for the cooler’s handle, not yanking it out of Chloe’s grasp, but nevertheless establishing a firm hold, their fingers touching. “I’m still going to help you because that’s what a good First Mate does.”

The next mile veritably flew by, autumn’s charms calm and tenderly solemn all the same. It was the crunch of a twig being broken underfoot, the taps of that one particularly eager woodpecker, the solos of Oregon’s songbirds, the shudder of breezes through leaves and branches, the ever-changing mosaic of light and shadow, the musk of dirt and earth – reminders of days spent jumping into leaf piles and going back to school.

Each stride, each rock and root scaled over, brought them closer to their destination, and but a minute later it was Max who exclaimed, “There! There it is!” From amidst the trees, down a gentle slope, glimpsed at them the glittering reflection of sun striking a surface of water. Soon after, they cleared the treeline.

Ahead of them lay Firefly Lake, and the treasures buried beneath its waves.

Many a summer’s day had been spent here, swimming and snorkeling, the starting point of more than a few epic quests and dangerous adventures. Yet it was not an enormous body of water by any means. As a matter of fact, it was one of the smaller ones in the area. Its water, shades of color ranging from the deepest of blues to the softest of teals, rarely saw the amount of visitors the neighboring lakes did. An insider’s tip, so to speak.

In between outcroppings and thick ferns, on rocky shorelines and colorful gravel, leaves of yellows and reds came to rest, while yet more hung on surrounding trees. It was a constant rhythm with which new ones fell, dotting the water. Ripple upon ripple spread across its surface, and in their midst floated a lone piece of driftwood. The onrush of colors, combined with the green of conifers and the brown of shed needles, made for an intoxicating sight. 

“See?” said Max, not only admiring the view, but also savoring the peaceful lap of water as it met the shoreline. “ _ This _ is why I love fall so much.”

“Yeah, it’s beautiful,” Chloe agreed. Her eyes roamed the length of the lake, exploring every nook and cranny, no matter how small. Nothing had changed in those seven years, save for one thing. On the opposite side, directly across their vantage point – a trek no more than another half-mile long – she spotted a small pier. Tied to it was a rowboat, calmly swaying. “There,” she said, pointing. “How about... we go sit on that pier?”

“I was about  t o say the same,” Max replied, half a mind already on their picnic.

It seemed as though canopies and clouds parted just for them, the sun’s glow a most welcome companion. There was no denying the change in air temperature, the chill of the shadowy trail substituted for what was the warmth of an, for the season, above average day.

A little ways off the path, under a sky-scraping pine tree, grew a patch of purple wildflowers. When Max took notice she stopped forthwith. “Look!” she said. 

“You mean the flowers?”

“Yeah.” Max shot Chloe a smile. “Wait here?”

It may have been a question, but she did not grant Chloe the chance to answer. Letting go of the cooler, and leaving behind her dumbfounded girlfriend, Max skipped away to push through the underbrush. Compared to the trail, the ground was wet, squishy even, no doubt an outcome of recent rainfall. But Max remained undeterred. Tugging on her blazer to prevent it from being caught on rough bark or rogue branches, she crouched down near the flowers, and under Chloe’s part scrutinizing, part intrigued, part amused gaze, she began to fumble. Then, some seconds later, she lurched up again, and spun around. She kept her hands hidden behind her back, and with a series of bouncing steps she headed back to the trail, and back to Chloe.

The smile she wore beggared belief. To say it was sheepish, or brimming with mischief, or sprightly, the words would have been an understatement of utmost proportion.  _ Heart-melting  _ was what it was. “Take off your beanie,” she said, mousily rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. “Please?”

Chloe could not help but chuckle. “You do know I saw you pick those flowers, right? They may call you the Blackwell Ninja, but you’re not  _ that _ stealthy.”

“Please? For me?”

Any attempt at faking a semblance of annoyance died a swift death. Unable to deny her anything, all Chloe gave was a beleaguered sigh. Whatever Max had concocted, though Chloe had an inkling, found no opposition, and so she set down the cooler, slipped off her backpack, and did as Max asked. Once her beanie was off, she whipped back her hair, and waited with all but bated breath.

“Tada!” Max exclaimed in a sing-song tone, her voice small yet so very fitting. Her eyes twinkled and her cheeks glowed, and she revealed her hands and the flower she had picked – the largest and most beautiful of the bunch. Even Chloe, not one for whimsy as she was, recognized its appeal.

And the same Chloe, who thought she had learned how to handle Max’s perpetual cuteness, discovered the latter always found something new to throw at her.

This time, Max cocked her head, nibbled on her bottom lip, let her fingers stroke patterns from jaw to cheek to nape of neck, to then reach up and tuck locks of Chloe’s hair behind her ear – a task complicated by the inches Chloe had on her. “You’re too tall,” she said, and again she giggled, and again the sounds were whisper-soft.

“Nah, dude,” Chloe replied. “You just need to get on my level.”

Before Max knew it, arms wrapped tightly around her thighs. With a cute grunt, Chloe hoisted her in the air, sweeping her off her feet, doing so in every sense of the word. Max squeaked and squealed and loved every moment, her joy radiating at the heart of racing pulses and fluttering stomachs. And though her chest teased at Chloe’s face, eyes thirsted for one thing alone, and once more Chloe acknowledged there was no resisting the sweetness that was Max Caulfield.

It was a sight to see; the way her face pinched in concentration, the way smiles kept quirking on her lips, the way she so diligently worked to secure the flower in Chloe’s hair, the way she so tenderly giggled, the way– 

“Chloe? You uhm… You can let me down now.”

“Oh. _Oh..._ ” The words tore Chloe out of the adoration induced reverie she had found herself slipping into. “Yeah, uh... Here, sorry,” she stammered, letting go of Max, and going as far as to shake her head to rid herself of that stupor. Without success, of course. “I uh… I… Uhm yeah, you’re just like… really fucking adorable and beautiful and… yeah.”

Max may have shrugged and shaken her head then, but the expression she wore, not so subtle shades of impish and flirty, did not help matters. In fact, it told Chloe all she needed to know. Almost anyway.

“You’re a dumdum,” she whispered.

“Yeah… Whatever...” Chloe replied. She tried to play it cool, waved her hand in a _“who cares?”_ kind of gesture, but her red-hot ears spoke volumes. Yet the very same admiration, Max’s  admiration, also made her grin and laugh and touch her hair like the enamored teenager she was. “Okay so uh… How do I look?”

“Hmm,” Max mused, taking her time to answer. “I… I think you know.”

Little by little Chloe now shook off her Max-induced daze, eager to start a new round in their game of cat and mouse. “Well, you know… I kinda like hearing you say it. Makes me feel all...” She bobbed her head from side to side. “Tingly.”

“Huh. Is that so?”

“All true.”

Offering a bemused scowl, Max surveyed their surroundings, her attention drawn to the pier. “I’ll do you one better then,” she said. An expert hand undid the latches on her bag, fingers already all but curled around her camera, the others searching and finding Chloe’s. “Come. I’ll show you.”

But Chloe had other plans. She remained rooted in place, yanking and causing Max, who had taken off without further ado, to turn around confused. “It’s not a fair trade yet,” she explained, motioning to the beanie she spun around her finger. “Come here.”

Max laughed. “Am I due for a makeover?”

“Well, we gotta get you ready for that mosh pit, don’t we?”

So it was Chloe’s turn, her opportunity to add a little touch of her own punk self to Max. Her fingers threaded through Max’s brown tresses and nails dragged gently along her scalp, until they found the ponytail Max had tied her hair into. Despite her adoration for the look sported, Chloe began to fiddle with the hairband. “Okay if I take it off?” she asked.

Max agreed with a nod, and so her hair returned to its usual shaggy state. Using her fingers as a makeshift comb, Chloe brushed and raked and adjusted, the intimacy of the situation not lost on either of them. Max’s long-lasting blinks and gratified breaths certainly cast no doubt on why Chloe found little reason to hurry. Her beanie eventually proved to be a little too large for Max’s head, but in Chloe’s opinion it only added to Max’s charm, even if the rest of her attire did not fit; a problem for another time.

“Looking like a hella sexy badass now, Max,” Chloe said upon finishing. One more time she tugged the beanie into place, for good measure as she told herself. “Might have to get you one as well.”

“Hella sexy badass,” Max repeated. “Never heard that combination of words to describe me.”

“You have now.” She picked a stray needle from Max’s blazer. “It suits you.”

Max grinned and cleared her throat, and what followed was an absolutely _appalling_ attempt at imitating Chloe’s manner of speech. “Yo, I’m Max Caulfield and I’m a thrasher now,” she said, “And I’m like looking fuckin’ hella lit... dude.” She slurred as though she had downed a pantry’s worth of hard liquor.

Outwardly unimpressed and inwardly more amused at Max’s innocence than anything, Chloe raised her eyebrows, hands on her hips. “That’s not how I talk.”

Max laughed. “It is when you’re getting lit!”

Chloe gasped in mock outrage, but at the sound of Max giggling she failed at keeping up the facade, all the same exclaiming, “Come here you little bitch!” She flung herself at Max with open arms, but for once she failed at catching her.

Max had dodged out of the way, and now darted past Chloe. “Race you to the pier! Also did you just call me a bitch?”

“Yeah. Uh... Sorry?”

“And then apologize. Gosh. You are so adorable!” With her hand on her bag to prevent its contents from being jumbled about, Max took off for the pier. “What did I do to you?”

“Fuck you Caulfield!”

“Language!”

“Fuck! You! You better run, I’m gonna get you!”

“No you won’t!”

And indeed, Chloe did not. With the advantage of a head start, Max was already well on her way to the pier, while Chloe still scrambled to pick up backpack and cooler. She fought straps and handles thereof, cursed and muttered under her breath, cycling through variations of “ _Shit. Fuck. Fucking shit,_ ” and going so far as to throw in the occasional _“Balls!”_ Yet amongst all that exhilaration, she remained ever cautious of one thing: The flower in her hair. Undoing Max’s efforts was the very last thing on her mind, though given the fact that their race ended before it well and truly began, she also made a mental note to even the score once opportunity arose.

Max on the other hand cared little for Chloe’s dilemma. Fueled by coffee and adrenaline, she raced along the trail, hopping over sticks and stone, the air heavy with her laughter. She took no more than thirty seconds, during which Chloe at long last engaged in hot pursuit, to reach the finish line. Once her feet made contact with the pier however, she hesitated.

Considering that behind her Chloe was fast approaching – doing so with little grace but in a most sailor-like fashion – Max was at a crossroads. With nowhere else to go, and the steady string of obscenities growing louder and louder, she had no alternative but to rush to the end of the pier, her steps padded by lightly warped wooden boards.

“Ha!” was Chloe’s immediate reaction. “End of the road for you, Caulfield! Prepare to walk the plank!”

Despite encroaching doom, Max remained all smiles. She smiled at the lake, at the way water so gently lapped at the shore. She smiled at the trees, at the way the forest stood ablaze with color. She smiled at the world, at the way things at long last felt right.

And then she spun around.

And she smiled.

And at the sight of that face,

Chloe stopped on a dime, her breath heavy, labored, hitching, bottled up and stolen away.“Damn… _Max._ ” Over the years the name had left her lips countless times, but the whisper that escaped those lips now was something else altogether. “ _Fuck.._.” The cooler dropped to the ground, and the backpack followed. “I love you so much.”

She wasted no more time after that.

Neither of them did.

They rushed at each other; Chloe toward Max, Max toward Chloe, their heartbeats a single melody, and their minds in perfect harmony – for what happened next, one could have been fooled into thinking they had done so boundless times before.

Max jumped, diving into Chloe’s arms.

And Chloe caught her.

It was a blur to both of them, yet natural in ways few things were. Boots scrabbled for purchase as Chloe compensated for Max’s weight and the momentum of bodies crashing together. Yet as soon as arms wrapped around hips and neck respectively, as soon as Max straddled Chloe’s waist, as soon as the world began to spin, did it also cease to matter. Over and over did Chloe twirl, Max secure in her arms, so often that they lost track of the amount. Not that it mattered either. Their delight increased ten-fold with every spin, until they were nothing but unhinged laughter and high-pitched squeals. Wind tousled locks of brown and blue, beanie-clad or not, the world a whirl revolving from sky and clouds to forest to lake and back again, its sole constant being love; the love between one Max Caulfield and one Chloe Elizabeth Price.

When eventually Max slipped from Chloe’s arms, when her feet touched the ground again, she stumbled. Wobbly legs and dizziness took her dangerously close to the water, all the same failing to wipe the grin off her face. A rather slurred “ _Whoa!_ ” was her sole response, even as she teetered on the edge – one step away from a plunge into coldness.

As luck would have it, Chloe fared marginally better. She grabbed hold of Max’s wrist and yanked, bringing her back tumbling into her embrace once more. “Careful,” she whispered, voice so rich with passion Max felt shivers run down her spine. “Don’t get lost again.”

“Captain...” Max gasped, lips parting, eyes widening three sizes, hands gripping the lapels of Chloe’s leather jacket, fists clenching tighter with each passing second... “You– You saved me.”

They took a long lasting look at each other.

They stared.

They gazed.

Their lips crashed together, not a second too soon.

Slow at first, mouths and lips engaged in passionate dance, their tenderness and warmth all encompassing. But when Max drew herself close, when she positively pressed herself against Chloe – her lips wanton as they sought the attention she was provided – that pace quickened. Chloe’s fingers caressed Max’s jaw, then cheeks, her hands paying homage to soft freckled skin. Fingernails scratched lightly, journeying to the nape of Max’s neck, lingering, circling, eliciting a shudder so sharp it jerked open half-lidded eyes.

Fused together by passion pure and raw, they gave all they had into the kiss. Soon Chloe’s hands ventured south, along Max’s back, until arms wrapped around that slender waist once again. She felt every inch of Max, warm and soft and flush against her, sensed every shiver, heard every whimper, and in a mind otherwise blissfully blank did thoughts and cravings flourish.

“ _Max?_ ” she said, moaning the name more than she spoke it. “ _May I?_ ”

With their kiss broken, Chloe gave a tentative tug on Max’s bottom lip, sucking gently and finding no resistance, only a body relaxing, and yet another of those tiny whimpers. They were music to Chloe’s ears, small sounds which never failed to entice. Smiling, she thus brushed her tongue over Max’s lips, nibbled and sucked, and once again there was a sharp intake of breath, and a desperate “ _Please._ ”

Like-minded as they were, eyes fluttered open, hooded gazes meeting. Thrill after thrill crawled up and down Max’s spine, the slightest of Chloe’s touches the cause of stirring nerves and pleasurable aches. And when Chloe began to nip on her jawline – only to latch onto her neck a second later – Max groaned her girlfriend’s name, biting down hard onto her lip to keep herself in check. “ _Y-yes_ ,” she managed to reply.

On cue, Chloe sucked hard.

Feelings unknown to Max blossomed in that moment. She gasped, moaned even, threw back her head, acted on primal instinct, and found herself craving those feelings. Above all, for probably the first time on her life, she wished to act on them.

Sure, she had kissed Chloe before. She had on occasion been the one to initiate those “s _teamy make-out sessions_ ”, as Chloe so lovingly dubbed them. But everything about this kiss felt different. Her belly churned with every peck and every swipe of Chloe’s tongue, her legs buckled and her body quivered, and she felt herself melt and grip onto Chloe’s jacket for support. There was nothing chaste about it anymore. Even the taste of Chloe’s lips, new and peculiar yet entirely pleasant, a taste Max had never payed much attention to before, a taste Max a little more than a week ago never fathomed experiencing, intrigued her to her very core. No, she did not just wish to act on those feelings. She needed to.

As though she had no time to lose, she cupped Chloe’s face in one hand, the other raking through her hair, entangling itself in blue locks. Fingertips teased the sensitive skin below Chloe’s ear, rewarded with staggered breaths, and the next moment lips resumed their amorous dance.

Chloe responded in kind, then took full, yet ever considerate advantage. Subjected to Max’s unexpected and all but ravenous fervor, she seized the opportunity and slid her tongue past Max’s lips. Blazing heat coiled inside her belly, and she became acutely aware of her own drumming heartbeat, her own desire. Their tongues flirted, trading soft touches, shy and timid almost – the pace slowing as Chloe reminded herself of the conversation they shared in the diner. But the kiss, equal parts passion and care, told Max to trust, and she gave no indication of discomfort or disapproval.

She did the opposite. In between sparse breaths, she dove for Chloe’s lips, sucking and nipping, returning the affection in full. Judging by the gasp Chloe breathed into her mouth, she bit a little harder than necessary, but that clumsiness gave her an opening. “Sorry,” she nonetheless said, the answer a mumble cut off when she in turn slipped her tongue into Chloe’s mouth. The sensation was new, and messy, and pure bliss. At the feeling, her lips tilted into a smile, and her tongue rushed to explore its surroundings.

Despite Max’s lack of experience, Chloe could not have cared any less. Her hands, emboldened and bestowed with new knowledge, worked their way under Max’s clothes one more time, their touch sure and eager. From her sides, across her belly, up her midriff, to the edge of Max’s bra but never further did her fingers roam. Inch after inch of skin she caressed, the performance of cobalt-tipped nails awarded with throaty purrs and hums of praise. It was heaven, and somehow Chloe had tumbled into it. Max’s lips tasted faintly of blueberry still, she smelled of flowers and sun and just a little bit of sweat, her touches – at times no more than a brush of her fingertips – intimate, tender and feather-light, yet so _very_ Max.

It was, without argument, the best kiss they had ever shared.

Minutes trickled by, their breaths long stolen, perhaps never to return. When eventually the air grew thin indeed, two pairs of lips bade each other farewell, two halves of a whole panting in harmony. Yet the kisses did not end. They were pecks, sometimes lingering, sometimes not, trailing down cheeks and jaws and necks and every spot deserving to be loved, the epilogue marking the culmination of an epic story. Only then did they find their bearings and their breaths. Only then did their dance come to an end.

“Wowser,” said Max, nothing more than a whisper breaking through their silence, her fingers still playing with the hairs at the nape of Chloe’s neck. “That was...”

“Something else.”

“Amazing.”

“Wow.”

Silence.

They gazed at each other, eyes like oceans, waiting, wanting, conveying what their mouths could not. An air of love so thick one could see it surrounded them, their bond, on physical and emotional levels, stronger than ever. They stood glued together, Max clinging to Chloe, Chloe holding her close. They were all stroking backs and caring touches, and once more Chloe leaned in, recapturing Max’s lips in a short but sweet show of love.

“You know...” Chloe eventually ventured to say, “I recall us talking in the diner. About what just happened.” She linked their hands together, and brought her forehead to Max’s. “I’m definitely not complaining. More like curious. Where’d that come from?”

Max bit her lip to contain a cocky grin. “Felt overdue.”

Chloe raised her eyebrows at that. “Well it was hot. Like hella fucking panty-soaking-dropping hot. Like seriously I was about to–” As she neared the verge of explicit detail, Max’s throat bobbed with a hard swallow, her face contorting in wonderful grimaces. Chloe laughed, and pressed a peck to Max’s nose. “All I want to say is, I liked it,” she said instead, her tone suddenly sweet as could be. “Hope you did too.”

“I did,” Max replied, nodding. The faintest of blushes settled on her cheeks. “You uh… You haven’t smoked today, right?”

Chloe smiled. “You finally noticed. Took you a while.”

Again Max nodded. “Guess that’s why I liked it. It’s nice. It...”

“Tastes better,” Chloe finished the sentence, smirking knowingly. “I was actually thinking of quitting.”

“You are? Since when?”

“Since right now. I know you keep saying that you don’t mind it, but shit’s kinda nasty. And you always do that cute scrunch-up-your-nose thing, so I know you secretly hate it.”

“I don’t hate it,” Max protested, albeit weakly. “But... You’d do that? For me?”

They shared a long-lasting, unblinking look, during which Chloe raised her knuckles to Max’s cheek, caressing and saying, “Oh please. I’d do anything for you. You said it yourself.”

Like so many things in their relationship, Chloe’s touches were intoxicating. Hence, almost out of instinct, Max leaned into it. “To be fair, I’m pretty sure your lungs would thank you as well. Not just me.”

“Yeah,” Chloe said with a chuckle. Her thumb brushed over those rosy cheeks in gentle strokes, but soon she geared her affections toward Max’s neck, specifically the purplish mark she had bestowed thereon.

“Ouch,” Max squeaked.

“Sorry.” Chloe’s hand flinched away at once. “Just… admiring.”

“Your handiwork?”

Unable to keep her hands to herself, Chloe instead wrapped a curl of Max’s hair around her finger. “Yeah. I’d say I did pretty good,” she teased. “I also distinctly remember you liking it _very_ much. Your first hickey. Like... I think there was… a moan? Coming from you that was quite something.”

A flush crept up Max’s face. She pressed her lips together, gritted her teeth – her expression hovering somewhere between embarrassment and confidence, due in no small parts to the relentlessly aggressive grin she failed to suppress. When she answered, it was with that mousy voice Chloe found so irresistible, so knee-weakingly cute. “Would you say it was…” She winced. “Panty-soaking-dropping hot?”

It _never_ failed to elicit a reaction.

And Chloe _never_ failed to delight. She let go Max’s hand, stopped playing with her hair, to then scoop her up into a bear hug, like she used to when they were kids, on days they felt particularly playful. “Oh god damn,” she exclaimed, “you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me! I _love love love love love love love_ you!” Within the blink of an eye, she peppered Max’s face with kisses, a flurry which swiftly reduced them both to a giggling mess. “Max, I love you so much!”

Max found little reason to let go. Not that she had any say in the matter either, as Chloe’s embrace remained tight enough to squeeze the breath straight out of her lungs. So she waited, giggling, writhing, cherishing.

In due course, it appeared, Chloe’s arms did grow heavy after all, and not before long Max felt her feet touch the ground again. What remained were throbbing hearts, and their embrace. She all but snuggled into Chloe, cuddled her, nestled against her shoulder, the place where she always felt comfortable and safe. Her Chloe. Her beautiful Chloe.

“I love you too,” she whispered. “I love you too.”

  


####  _In Our Own Time_

  


  


Chloe almost regretted speaking up, so snuggly did Max melt into her arms, so serene did she look. “So… Would you uh… Would you like to sit now?” she asked, nuzzling Max’s temple, her voice soft. It felt like the right to do.

Max had to smile at the question, at the innocent tone it was posed in. “Yes.” She gazed up at Chloe with affectionate eyes. “I’d love that very much.”

It took many more long seconds still for their embrace to come to an end. Once it did, they slipped away, as though they each departed for a long voyage – like two lovers sharing a last fare thee well as the train pulled out of the station, one pressed against the glass, the other running alongside. Chloe’s hands traveled down Max’s arms, found those smaller hands, fingers lacing together, then begrudgingly separating again as she walked backward. 

With a wink, she turned around.

Just prior to crouching down, to gather backpack and cooler she had so readily dropped, she heard the by now treasured whirring of a Polaroid being ejected out of an instant camera. She smiled and glanced over her shoulder. “ _ That’s _ the first picture you choose to take?”

“Mm-hmm,” Max mumbled affirmative, nodding. She slipped her camera back into her bag, then moved a single step closer. With a floundering gesture, she motioned at the panorama that surrounded them. “The depth of field with the trees... I mean you were... It framed you perfectly. And your hair in the wind, with the flower, the way you uh… the way you moved. It was beautiful.” Though it had yet to finish developing, Max held the picture out for Chloe to take. “Here. Take a look.”

Chloe had never been one for art, at least not the snooty, stuck-up kind of art as she liked to call it. The kind of art existing for the sole reason of being just that: art. That being said, by virtue of having grown up with Max, she had been exposed to her fair share of artistic talent and vision. She had both learned about her own tastes and preferences, and grown to appreciate and spot a good picture when she saw one. The one Max had taken, most definitely fit those terms. Somehow Max managed to add a little whimsy, a little wistful longing to every scene she captured, her shots telling stories, testaments to the talent she possessed.

“Credit where credit’s due, Max.  It turned out amazing,” Chloe complimented, handing back the picture. “Like seriously, it’s beautiful. I know you’re talented as fuck, but you always manage to surprise me.”

“Thank you.” Max shuffled her feet, glanced downward, her expression playfully bashful and effortlessly cute. “It… comes with the subject. But if you don’t mind, I would love to keep this one for myself.”

“Sure. Just remember your promise.”

“I will,” Max replied. “I promise.”

The more the image cleared up, the more captivating it became. Whether its allure stemmed from technical aspects, or the fact it depicted Chloe as the subject – a moment of calm and candor saved forever – Max could not decide. It was one of her finest works, that much she was certain of. The way depth of field directed focus onto Chloe, the way the colors of the forest blurred together to form a perfect frame, the way that one breeze had whipped up Chloe’s hair, the way she so elegantly moved… 

Yes, it was  _ definitely _ because of Chloe.

And it was Chloe who then cleared her throat, claiming Max’s undivided attention, and making her wonder what the sly grin she was greeted with could possibly imply. Her questioning look received an answer forthwith.

“What would you say, First Mate Long Max Silver, if we were to...” Chloe sauntered to the edge of the pier, her voice dripping with mischief, “... _ commandeer _ .. .” She nodded to the side, at the wooden rowboat that so gently swayed and bobbed on the water. “...that there vessel, and have our picnic out on the high seas.”

Max’s jaw muscles jumped as she considered the suggestion. “You wanna steal someone’s boat?”

“ _No. _ I want to  _ borrow _ someone’s boat. There’s a difference.”

Max frowned, at the boat and at Chloe, and realization hit her. “You’ve been planning this since we got to the lake, right?” she said, sighing. “You never just wanted to sit on the pier.”

Chloe stuffed her hands deep into the pockets of her jeans and shrugged. “Guilty as charged,” she declared, her reply nonchalant. “So what do you say?”

“Well… I’m not sure about this, Chloe...” Max answered. Up until now she had been holding onto the picture, but as she found herself fidgeting, she at last slipped it into her bag, securing it between the pages of her  journal . “W-what if it belongs to someone and they catch us?”

“Oh, come on.” Chloe pouted. “Look at it. It’s sitting here, just waiting for us to take it. Just for a couple of hours?” She grabbed Max’s hands, and squeezed. “Please? We’ll put it back the exact same way. And look, there’s like no one around. So no one will be any wiser. You’ll be fine, I promise you.”

Apart from minor blemishes, flakes of reddish-brown paint peeling off its hull being the most notable one, the boat looked to be in good condition – floating and dry. Still, Max remained unconvinced. “Y-you really think it’s going to float?” she asked. At once she realized the question was nothing more than a clumsy attempt at wasting time, and so she added, “I just don’t want us to do anything dangerous or stupid. Not today.”

Chloe’s expression mellowed, warm nonetheless. “I get it. And if you really don’t want to, then we’ll stay right here, that’s okay too. I’m never going to make you do something you don’t want to. You know that. But what happened to giving you a little push every now and then?” She gave the boat a glance, and shrugged. “It’s just a boat. It’s harmless. So let’s have some fun, let’s live a little. I’m pretty sure we won’t be the first ones to take it out for a spin.”

Little by little Max took a liking to the idea. After all, even all these years later, Captain Bluebeard still led them into new adventures, eager to make every moment together memorable. “I mean... you’re right,” she thus admitted. “It would make this picnic even more special.”

Chloe broke into a beaming smile, giddy with excitement. But as Max had yet to well and truly agree, she was not about to impose her wishes without seeking explicit consent. “It would,” she said. “It would make it _so_ special.”

Max could read the silent question in Chloe’s eyes, in the way she spoke a pinch quieter. “The Bane of Arcadia is a little smaller than we always imagined her to be,” she teased, herself now smirking. “But she’s not any less mighty.”

“Is that a…?”

“Yes!” Max exclaimed. “It’s a yes! Let’s do it!”

“Hella _yes!_ ” Chloe pumped her fist in celebration, bouncing circles around Max. For a second, the latter braced herself for yet another bear hug, but Chloe contented herself with bestowing sloppy kisses to more or less all of Max’s face.

“Dude!” Max giggled. “Gross! You licked me!”

But Chloe already darted back and forth, gathering their supplies, all grand gestures and exclaiming, “You won’t regret this, baby! I promise you! This is gonna be fucking awesome!” and not least of all, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She tripped over her feet, squealed and hooted, hummed and chanted, and in no time she was ready to climb in.

“Wait here,” she told Max. “I’ll get in first. Gotta make sure she’s truly seaworthy!”

“Aye aye, Captain,” Max replied, grinning from ear to ear, and for some reason, saluting. “Be safe!”

Chloe rubbed her hands together and got in. Once she had her full weight on the boat, she waited a second, biting her lips  in  anticipation. It quickly turned out that the Bane of Arcadia was indeed  _seaworthy. “Yes!”_ she exclaimed once more, celebrating by bouncing from foot to foot. 

“Careful!”

“It’s fine! Come here! Come here!” Chloe extended her hand toward Max. “I’ll help you get in.” Unlike her own however, Max’s legs appeared to be ever so slightly shaking – a fact Chloe picked up on at once. She opened her arms wide. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

“Thank you,” Max said as she climbed in, aided by Chloe. Their vessel rocked back and forth under her shifting feet, and in reflex she held onto Chloe’s jacket. “Whoa.”

“Careful there. You okay?”

“Yeah. I’ve just never been on a boat. Guess I’m a shitty First Mate.”

Holding her close, Chloe smiled and planted a lingering kiss on Max’s lips, following it up with one to her forehead. “Nah, you’re the best First Mate there is. Wouldn’t trade you for anyone else. You just need to get your sea legs.”

Once more Max felt herself melt into this girl, under her affection. With a contented sigh she leaned against her, and soon any remaining uneasiness dissipated. “So...” she said, gazing up at Chloe with obvious fondness, then down at the oars with an equal amount of doubt. “Do you… Do you want me to row? So you can have a break?”

“No, dude,” was Chloe’s reply, her grin audible. “I kinda really wanna do this.”

And thus they at last settled down, Max at the stern of the boat, facing Chloe, and Chloe on the middle bench, where the oars waited to be put to use. Without delay, Chloe, or rather Captain Bluebeard, was in her element. Max got the sense she was more excited by the boat and the prospect thereof, than the actual picnic, but she could not fault or blame her either. The enthusiasm with which she grabbed the oars, and the cheerful way she exclaimed, “All right! Let’s set sail. Cast away!” only to follow it up with a dopey, “Oh yeah, uhm, we need to untie that rope first,” were more than worth it.

Laughing, Max replied, “Yeah, here. I’ve got it.” As she undid the knot that kept the boat from drifting out onto the lake, she did her best to memorize it. “ _Just in case_ ,” as she told herself. It was however not an intricate design, lending credence to Chloe’s theory that indeed they were not the first people to do this. Once it was undone, she pulled the rope into the boat. “Here we go! Anchors aweigh. We’re good to go, Captain!”

“Fuck yes! This is gonna be epic!”

Grinning madly – making Max wonder whether her face would ever return to normal – Chloe cracked her knuckles. Oars slid into crystal-clear water, and without further ado Chloe eased them onto Firefly Lake; its delights ready to be explored. At first her rowing technique left much to be desired, but she was quick to settle into a comfortable rhythm.

The lake glittered crystalline blue under the midday sun. Water lapped against the boat’s hull, and each stroke of the oars sent ripples flickering over its surface, and soft sounds into the air alike. For Max, the rhythmic swaying required a short period of adjustment, but not before long she too became engrossed. Leaning over the gunwale, she let her fingers skim across the water, her smiling reflection swimming in and out of focus. Beneath the surface, minnows darted, and above their heads two butterflies drifted along a languid breeze. 

“Hello, fish-fish,” she said, “What’s kraken? Hope we’re not disturbing you.”

“Dork.”

“Aw... Looks like the Captain doesn’t appreciate a good pun,” Max said, the lament aimed more at the fishes she continued to observe, than at anyone else. “Guess I’m not kraken her up.”

“Would you say you have an _ink_ ling?”

“Hey!” Max beamed at Chloe, impressed. “Good one!”

Sometimes these most innocent exchanges were the ones most reminiscent of the past. Of childhood years, of a friendship which exploded rather than blossomed, of two girls alone in the world finding each other, of something always more than simple camaraderie. From first meetings, to pirates and ninjas, heartbreak and first kisses – for Chloe, it appeared, nostalgia and melancholy were more than a flirt. 

She rowed for many minutes more, no destination in mind. All the same, she made it a point to take the scenic route, for reasons not solely her own. She watched Max, observed her, basking in her joy, reflecting on their journey, and smiling to herself. The boat ride brought enjoyment to both of them, but soon enough they reached the center of the lake, ready for the next stage of their day to begin.

“Max?” Chloe patted the bench beside her, having made space for Max. “Will you… come here?”

But Max shook her head. “No,” she said. “Scoot back.” 

The reply took Chloe off-guard. Wide eyes answered, and when Max reached into her bag to retrieve her camera, she tilted her head to side, her lips pursed. She looked like a lost puppy.

“Please?” insisted Max.

“Oh… okay. Yes.”

Earning herself a chuckle, Chloe did as asked, returning to her spot on the bench. As she did, Max got up as well. Careful not to rock the boat, the brunette traipsed closer, taking small steps on unsteady feet. Then, to Chloe’s pleasant surprise, she lowered herself into her lap. Instinctively, Chloe reached to hold her, to guide her down, whatever disappointment she felt seconds ago blown away at once. “Dude,” she said. “You scared me there for a sec.”

“You’re cute. I figured you’d enjoy this more.”

Chloe did indeed. She wasted no time to wrap her arms around Max, one hand trailing across her waist to rest on her belly, the other on her thigh, their legs intertwined. Her fingertips traced patterns on Max’s leg, and lips busied themselves by peppering tiny kisses on her jaw. “You’re right. I do,” she whispered not before long, and but a heartbeat later she nestled her head in the crook of Max’s neck, then against her shoulder, and another heartbeat later a little lower still, into Max’s chest. A hand began to thread through her hair, and she gave a pleased sigh.

Max may not have been able to read Chloe’s mind, but she knew how to read the rest of her. She knew those looks, a little vague, a little distant. She knew those touches, the comfort they sought. She knew when heavy thoughts lumbered through Chloe’s mind, and mentally she prepared herself for another hard-hitting conversation.

“Max… I really like your boobs.”

“ _Seriously?_ ” A laugh rushed to the tip of Max’s tongue, a faint blush to her cheeks. She failed to shake her head, she failed to roll her eyes, failed to contain a grin; enjoying the closeness despite herself. Even her voice fell short of annoyed. “My boobs?”

“Mm-hmm,” mumbled Chloe. “Told you. Hella awesome.”

“You’re impossible.” Max giggled. 

“You love it.”

Max did not deny the claim.

The next seconds were marked by smiles and silence. Chloe listened to Max's beating heart, positively felt it thumping in her chest, under her cheek, her own responding in kind until they beat in melodic unison. Her fingers continued to stroke patterns, and there was no place she would rather be. Still, eventually she moved, barely more than a couple of inches, but enough to gaze into Max’s eyes, enough to touch her nose to Max’s cheek. She clung, she squeezed, as though to discourage the cosmos from ever taking her away again.

Then, she proved Max right. 

“You know... stop me before I get all emo ‘n shit on you, _again_ ,” she said. “But I guess this place just… It makes me think. But you probably knew that already.” Right away she felt a hand cover her own, a thumb skim over her knuckles. Caressing, tenderly the way only Max could. It made her smile and rest her chin on those narrow shoulders that held up her world. “Max. I am so lucky to have you in my life. Y-you are without a doubt the best thing, the best _person_ , that ever happened to me. I mean… You were so since the moment we started playing in that schoolyard during recess because… ‘cause no one else would. It’s been a long time, but I remember exactly how you made my day back then. How I couldn’t wait to go to school the next day because I knew you’d be there. All those years. To now. To this.”

An ache crept up her throat. She swallowed, attempting to chase it away; tensed and lowered her head as it came back stronger. Even in her reflection, cast by water, faint and no more than an outline, she saw the emotions welling up inside her. But she also saw Max. Her smile, her hand moving to cup her cheek, her eyes issuing a silent statement. “I’m here,” they told her, and that small mass of anxiety that writhed within her ceased to exist.

Chloe did not wish to fight her emotions anymore, she found little reason in trying to hold her own. Max deserved the truth, and nothing but. So she sniffled, she coughed, and so she continued, such was her wish.

“I’m not the person I dreamed of being when I was young. Life didn’t turn out the way I hoped. I’m no adventurer, I’m no mad scientist. I may never be any of those things. I’m just a fucking high school dropout.” At once those lips she had kissed so many times this day parted in protest, but Chloe moved a finger over them, shaking her head, smiling. She counted the freckles speckled on that face, on that nose and under the blue of those eyes, a constellation of stars that painted Max’s skin, each dot a symbol of hopes and dreams. “But you’ve shown me that that’s okay. I mean I could change everything about myself, how I look, how I act… But it wouldn’t change who I am. Because _this_ is who I am, _this_ is me, scars and all. And I thought I’m not that girl anymore, that I haven’t been her for a long time. I thought these scars made me who I was. And in a way they did. Because I let them. And yeah, they might not be beautiful, and they might be with me for the rest of my days, but they’re mine. I guess... in a sense they’re like... memories? Telling me where I was. I understand that now.”

She paused. For but a moment. “But they don’t need to tell me who I will be. They don’t need to define my future. And maybe, just _maybe_ I am still that girl. That _this_ me _is_ that girl. I mean... When we’re together I feel like I could be. A pirate, some swashbuckling adventurer, and it’s all your doing. Hell, even if I’m not… Well then I don’t have to hide it. Not from you. And it’s moments like this that I never thought I would have again. Yet you give them to me every single day, without fault. And every day I fall more in love with you. Because y-you made my life worth living again. I’ll never forget that. And I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”

A single tear formed in the corner of an eye, escaped down her cheek, and soon more came following – not a stream but a trickle. Not ashamed, no longer, she understood her tears were something originating from a heart mending, the sign of pain released and a storm weathered; the tears of a lost soul reunited with its path. Clear and shiny, they dripped down onto the lap of the person she most cared for. And that person, she gazed into eyes so wide and beautiful, seeing her own reflection in them, seeing how she leaned in close, how she pressed a kiss to those cheeks, tasting that light saltiness.

“I’m lucky too.” Max’s hands combed through the mop of cobalt hair at the back of Chloe’s head, and she relished how despite everything the smile had never fully left Chloe’s face. “Because you are one of a kind, Chloe Price. There’s no one quite like _you_.” Using the sleeves of her blazer, she dabbed away Chloe’s tears, her care further invigorating already curved-up lips. “You should be proud of that.”

What happened next, did so without a word spoken. Max glanced at her camera, then at Chloe. Another look exchanged and a nod given was all they needed – in a moment so raw and genuine it was yet more proof of the bond they shared. They shifted, arms embracing and grips tightening. They pressed their cheeks together, leaned against one another, their bodies perfect puzzles pieces.

Max angled the camera above their heads. A glance to the right, one to the left, a minor adjustment to the flower in Chloe’s hair – she made it look effortless. The lake, the forest, the sky, even their reflections; when the shutter clicked she had included it all. But what she captured was something else altogether. No trace of tears left, no hardship visible, Max immortalized one thing: Their love, in its purest form. Neither of them had actually looked  into the lens , stealing side-glances at each other instead. The picture was…

“Perfect,” said Chloe, softly. “It’s beautiful. Honestly I think it’s too beautiful to just put on the wall with some tape.”

Not glutton for praise, Max nonetheless felt her heart swell with pride, as though each of Chloe’s compliments inched her closer to her dreams. “We could frame it,” she suggested. “Have it on the nightstand in your room. Our apartment… Our house. Wake up every day remembering this moment. Forever.”

“Y-yeah.” Chloe’s vision clouded with another sting of tears. The notion of such a future together evoked thoughts as overwhelming as they were riveting. An apartment, a house. She repeated the words in her head, imagined lazy mornings spend in bed and weekend visits to galleries, a quiet life of domestic bliss, yet one brimming with adventure. She liked those thoughts, she liked what grew out of them, and she decided they could stay. “We should do that. Definitely.”

And those looks she hence wore, Max knew those as well. Not as pronounced, they nonetheless were shades of happiness; the same happiness she displayed at the prospect of a prolonged sleepover, or a first date – looks of little hopes and fantasies. 

“That was beautiful. What you just told me,” Max said. For a moment longer she examined the picture, how it cleared up little by little. Before it did so in full however, she brought a hand under Chloe’s chin, gently bringing their gazes together. “And yes, maybe we’ll never be who we wanted to be when we were kids. And yes, maybe we’ll carry scars forever. But scars fade, right?” Chloe’s lips quirked, as did Max’s. “Being with you here today, it makes me less afraid. I think it’s the first time in years that I’m actually looking forward to the future. That’s _your_ doing. And I can’t thank you enough either.”

Max smiled, and Chloe smiled back. Chloe parted her lips, unconsciously, and Max kissed. Max giggled, and Chloe chuckled. Every passing second brought back a little levity, and when Max began to fuss over Chloe’s hair,  _again_ , to confirm the flower had not loosened during their race and Chloe’s rowing, she said, her voice light, “And to answer your question from earlier… You look absolutely gorgeous.”

Chloe laughed. It was such a contrast, how it sounded over the quiet of the lake, a sound meant for their ears only. “It’s such a…  _you_ thing,” she replied. “You’re the only person who could ever get me to wear a damn flower in my hair without me losing my shit about it. Guess there’s a reason why I call you hippie.”

“You’ve also grown quite fond of hipster,” Max remarked, grabbing her bag.

“Sign of the times, huh?”

Shrugging, Max stuck out her tongue. She placed camera and picture into her bag, and with everything secured, she once more slung her arms around Chloe’s neck, shifting in her lap. “You’re all right? Right? Because I’m here if you want to talk.” Her facial expression was kind but also imploring, and with a side-nod she motioned at the lake they were surrounded by. “I literally can’t go anywhere.”

“I’m okay.” The reply came without deliberation, without reluctance. “I’m happy actually. Haven’t been this happy in… forever maybe. It just felt right telling you those things. You’re not the only one looking forward to the future again. I mean yeah... I’m still a little afraid of it. Or more like scared shitless, because I don’t have a clue yet what that future will be. But I know you’ll be there with me, and in my own time I’ll figure it out. So it’ll be all right. I mean just being out here, having a day like this, it makes me so excited for what else we could do, about all the places we could visit and the stuff we could see. Like… Suddenly Paris doesn’t feel like some crazy-ass fantasy anymore, you know? So yeah, I’m great. ‘Cause you are making me dream my own dreams again.”

“And I’ll help you get there,” said Max, repeating words Chloe spoke in the diner. “To your dreams.”

Another smile flashed, another nod given, another moment so perfect.

No need to say anything else. 

Swept away by this unlikely place, this day she so very much savored and appreciated, their own little slice of paradise, Max took a breath, languid and blissful. It came out as a sigh, as though what she longed for had come to pass at long last. Her gaze raked over the expanse of the lake, and heat flooded her cheeks as an inward grin broke out. Seconds trickled by in reds and blues, a hiker and his dog wandered along the trail, and the day grew a little warmer still. She bit her lower lip, slouched, and leaned her head against Chloe’s shoulder.

“I love it when you do that.”

“Hm? Do what?”

“That little lip bite thing you do.” Chloe cocked her head to the side. “Like you did just now? You’ve been doing it all day actually.”

A tingling thrill swept up from the base of Max’s neck; she grew ever so slightly flustered. Why, she did not know. “I guess it’s something I do without really paying attention to it.”

“It’s cute.” Chloe cupped Max’s face, her thumb grazing over her lips, barely. “I like it.”

Seldom defined by rhyme or reason, it was one of those occasions when even the slightest touch managed to fluster Max. Despite easing more and more into the physical aspects of their relationship, she was far from immune to Chloe’s charms. Not that she aspired to be. Chloe’s thumb, the sensation her touch roused, she enjoyed it in fact. And so she did it again, biting her lip, now smirking.

Chloe shook her head. “It’s not the same if you do it on purpose.” Her thumb traveled downward, over Max’s chin, then retreated for good. “Still like it though.”

“Yeah? What is it then?”

Chloe returned Max’s smirk. “It’s sexier.”

It required a conscious effort for Max not to humor Chloe any further, to tease her instead. She flashed her a wink – internally ruminating over the nature of being called sexy – failed to find it within her to will away her blush, regardless of her efforts, and in the end simply stood up, lifting herself out of Chloe’s lap. The reaction it all fell upon was immediate.

“Hey...” Chloe said with a pout so pronounced that it coaxed giggles out of Max. She held onto her arm, but did not draw her back, not wishing to be overbearing. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.” Max stretched her arms and legs with satisfaction. “Just… enjoying the scenery a little.”

“Oh. I see. So that’s how it is.” Chloe scoffed, crossed her arms, tossed back her hair. “I’m not beautiful enough. And here I just called you sexy. You’re breaking my heart, Caulfield.”

“I’m sure you’ll get over it.”

“Could’ve at least offered to kiss it all better.”

“You want me to kiss your heart? Dude, gross. No. How would that even work?”

“Metaphorically? I mean, you know…” Chloe grinned, lecherously. “I can see a way.”

_Of course_ she could. Max shook her head, rolled her eyes, swatted at Chloe’s shoulder in playful rebuke… and could not help but concede to the smile that graced her lips. A little part of herself, the part that had grown comfortable with the nature of these exchanges, was intrigued, tempted almost. If only to see the look on Chloe’s face, knowing her flirts and teases carried with them more than a modicum of truth. She knew so since the dare, at the time a spark, now a wildfire.

Still, for now, all she did was blow a kiss and take a seat. Not on Chloe’s lap, or on any of the benches. She sat down on the floor, found it comfortable enough and thus reclined; head propped up on Chloe’s backpack, legs resting upon the gunwale, her feet over the water, dangling. Simply put: She was ready to enjoy a delightful soaking of autumnal sun.

The imagery was spotless. Blue sky, a handful of fluffy clouds, a flock of geese flying in formation, the cold months of winter a distant thought. But as it seemed, the peace was not meant to be. Max felt the boat rock, heard Chloe scramble. Without taking so much as a glance she knew yet more mischief was headed her way. And indeed, seconds later her view of the sky obscured, replaced by one not any less alluring.

“Hey there,” Chloe said. “Hot-stuff.”

Max squinted, her face a grimace. “H-hi.”

“So.”

“Yeah?”

“This is nice, huh?”

“Yes. It is.”

“Might know a way to make it even better.”

“The picnic?” Max frowned up at her, intrigued and concerned. “Yes... But what’s with the cloak and dagger?”

Chloe shrugged, quite obviously struggling to keep a hold on her best innocent expression. “No cloak and dagger here, my dear,” she replied. “I’m totally innocent.” 

“That’s not your innocent face.”

“Oh...” Chloe slid off her bench, leaned a little closer. She all but crawled on top of Max, hands on either side of her head, their breaths mingling. “Then enlighten me… What face is it?”

“Well _that_ ,” said Max, tapping her forefinger against Chloe’s nose, and giggling softly when it twitched, “is your, _I’m-going-to-suggest-something-Max-might-not-totally-be-on-board-with_ face. You know the… _breaking-into-Blackwell’s-swimming-pool_ kind of face. Or the _let’s-steal-a-boat–_ ”

“Borrow.”

“–kind of face.” 

A beat passed and a most impish grin crossed Chloe’s lips. It also stayed there, growing by the second. Max’s eyes on the other hand narrowed in equal measure, and not before long even the smirk she wore was wiped off her face. “Oh hell no!” she exclaimed, thrusting herself up with more than a little haste, the boat rocking as Chloe scrambled to dodge out of the way. Panicked, Max looked at the lake. “I’m not gonna go skinny dipping!”

Chloe burst out laughing, any pretence thrown overboard at sight of Max’s doe-in-the-headlights look. Heaving with laughter, she slumped on the floor, opposite of Max. “Oh man, Max… You should have seen your face right now. Jesus… Skinny dipping...” She shook her head, a coughing fit following her laughing one. “Interesting that your mind went straight to that. Y’know, the  _naked_ part.” Again she coughed. “Afraid of borrowing a boat but not of public indecency it seems like.”

“I’m pretty sure that was your mind right now, going to the naked part,” mumbled Max.

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

It was one of those looks. Feeling the intensity of Chloe’s gaze, seeing how her mouth kept twitching, Max had reason to be thankful that she still wore Chloe’s beanie. She did the only thing she could. She pulled the beanie low, over her eyes, all the way down to her rapidly reddening cheeks. 

Chloe, of course, found it irresistible. “Oh my god!” she blurted, “You are so fucking adorable!” With no regard to the possibility of capsizing their boat, she lurched at Max, her hands finding a place at Max’s waist, where her shirt rode up – her fingers eager to tickle. “And  _such_ a perv.”

At the faintest touch of Chloe’s fingers, the faintest brush over her sides, Max was reduced to the usual squirming, giggling mess. Sometimes it was just  _too_ easy. She hid her face in her hands, just for good measure, and in between stolen breaths and joyful spasms, she said, “Screw you! Like your mind is so pure and full of…” Words eluded her, but laughter did not. “Pureness.”

“Oh, you know me. Always been a bastion of absolute pureness… purity… puritanism… whatever,” Chloe replied, granting Max reprieve by grabbing the cooler, and rifling through its contents. “Like I said, totally innocent. I definitely don’t want to see that cute little hipster butt of yours. _Definitely_ not. Thought  never even crossed my mind. Never. Seriously.”

Which only made Max blush harder.

“I also have no idea where _this_ came from.”

Only after long moments of deliberation – most of which were spent regaining her breath – did Max decide to risk a glance. Little more than her eyes peeked out when she rolled up the beanie; she could all but hear Chloe’s thoughts. “ _Cute”_ and “ _adorable”_ they no doubt were, as usual. On Max’s part, they hovered somewhere between “ _wowser”_ and... nothing else. Above her Chloe loomed once more, smiling the way only she did. Blue hair cascaded past that beautiful face, past those shoulders Max so very much liked to rest her head upon. The sun framed her like a halo, and she looked as though she were a gift from the heavens.

“Hey, beautiful,” she said again, and with a subtle movement of her eyes she directed Max’s attention to her hands. “What do you think?”

She was holding a bottle of wine. Red.

“Uh… Did you borrow that too?”

“The indefinite variety. Found it this morning while you were in the shower. Figured whomever it belonged to didn’t need it anymore.” She paused for a second, then shrugged. “Hah. Guess I do know where it came from.”

“You found it, huh? Sounds mysterious.” Max sat up and adjusted the beanie for good. “So that’s why you didn’t want me to carry the cooler? Did you think I'd notice the weight or what?” She eyed the bottle with a mixture of doubt and curiosity, the former prevalent. Alcohol, though she had made the occasional experience – the one with wine resulting in stains on carpeted floor – had never turned into something she enjoyed the taste of. Hence, she had never sought it out, actively avoided it at times.

A fact Chloe was not blind to. “Still the same Max Caulfield, huh?”

“I’m sorry.”

Chloe gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “Hey, I didn’t mean it like that. Please, never apologize for being you. It’s okay. I’ve been pushing and teasing you enough today anyway. And you already agreed to the boat ride, so I’m not gonna ask you to do something else you’re not completely on board with. You don’t enjoy alcohol, and that’s fine. Nothing to be sorry for.”

She was about to set the bottle aside when Max stopped her, grabbing her wrist, saying, “I’m glad you push me. I really like the boat ride.” Her tone, despite its softness, in no uncertain terms told Chloe not to worry, even as critical eyes inspected the bottle. 2011 vintage, Cabernet Sauvignon, California,  _August Creek Winery_ . No doubt Joyce and David missed it  _terribly_ . “I also didn’t say no to this, didn’t I?”

“Really?” Chloe’s brows drew together. “Are you sure? You don’t have to.”

“I’m sure,” Max confirmed. “I’ll have a sip.” She brought her thumb and index finger together until they almost touched. “A tiny one, okay? After all you did _borrow_ it for a reason. Not going to leave you hanging, you obviously put a lot of thought into this.”

The answer, not the one she had expected, left Chloe scrambling. Once more she rummaged through the cooler, in search of the disposable cups she had packed, “ _just on the off chance_ ,” as she had told herself that very morning. “Here.” She handed one to Max. “I know these aren’t exactly high-class...”

“That’s all right. We aren’t either.”

“Speak for yourself.”

Chloe’s subsequent handling of the corkscrew left much to be desired, and when Max leaned away dramatically, snorting, Chloe’s assortment of excuses ranged from sub-par utensil-quality to “Well I’m usually more of a beer person.” At any rate her appreciation remained unmistakable, her smile bright and cheerful. Soon enough the cork was vanquished, and so Chloe first poured Max the small sip she had requested, then herself the exact same amount.

“Chloe...” said Max upon noticing. “You don’t have to… Because of me...”

With a grunt, Chloe pushed the cork back into the bottle, the bottle back into the cooler. “Don’t take this as a guilt trip, but if you’re not drinking, then I won’t either. Not gonna get shit-faced alone. Or at all for that matter.”

“So no dancing bears for you today?” asked Max, swirling the wine in her cup. After all a little sophistication could not hurt.

“Nope. Today it’s just you.” Smiling, Chloe raised her cup to Max. “Toast?”

“Hmm.” Max pondered. “How about… To us… and our dreams?”

“Short and simple. I like.” Chloe clinked her cup against Max’s, Max against hers. “To us, and to our dreams. May we always have both. Cheers!”

  


####  _The Golden Hour_

  


  


Footprints, hundreds upon hundreds thereof, always in pairs of two, always huddled close and never apart, left in the golden sands of Crescent Cove, as of yet untouched by the tide – such was the scenery forever captured in Polaroid. Tame and quick to dissolve into foam were the waves that swept ashore; colorful the seashells and the haphazard mosaics they formed. The sun hung low above the horizon, its glow gold and amber in the sea, shades of pink and purple in sky and clouds, late afternoon splendor stretching as far as eyes could see.

Wistful had been the farewells to Firefly Lake and Bane of Arcadia, all the more treasured the ebb and flow of new memories. Laughter, kisses, and pictures had followed one another in a steady stream, the interruptions minimal – the most notable one a special kind of memory in and of itself. Minutes forthwith known as the _pissed-off-shrubbery-incident,_ the name courtesy of Chloe; a bathroom break involving one First Mate’s full bladder, a furiously rowing Captain, and an unassuming yet remarkably unwelcoming bush. Or as Max had come to insist: “We shall never speak of this again.”

Over the course of those hours they had grown rather fond of their pirate vessel, the privacy it granted, and the serenity associated with the lake. Only at Chloe’s insistence had they departed, her reasons simple. She had gotten her picnic, her lakeside adventure, and come hell or high water, Max would get to experience the stroll at the beach she longed for. Yet, after all those years, something continued to elude them.

“Sure, okay. We may not have found our treasure... Again,” said Chloe, “But I think it was hella great either way. And maybe it’s like… the treasure was in our hearts all along or some bullshit like that.”

“Hey, I didn’t complain,” Max replied, fastening the latches on her bag. “Like I said, I really enjoyed the boat.”

“Ah yes...” Chloe sighed, dreamily. “The Bane of Arcadia. Long may she sail.”

“Yeah, and also,” Max continued, “to be fair, the treasure could still be there. We were very distracted most of the time.”

“True. I mean...” Stroking her alter ego’s imaginary beard, Chloe raised her gaze to the sky as though answers were to be found above, her expression suitably quizzical. “Who knew that Captain Bluebeard and Long Max Silver were that much in love and into making out.”

“I think that’s what one would call plot development,” Max quipped.

Chloe smirked. “Certainly opens up a lot of possibilities.”

There it was again, that look. Not merely a hint, but the full spectrum, from the too eager grins and shining cheeks, to the failed efforts at averting eyes. Max all but heard the gears that spun in Chloe’s head, and unwittingly she found herself mimic each and every action, her attempts at acting oblivious laughably bad. They kept glancing at one another, and grins tugged ever harder; an old game in a fresh coat of paint.

A game Max lost. Chloe’s subterfuge skills may have been close to nonexistent, but ultimately so was the vigil Max kept. Seconds passed, nonchalance was feigned, manners evaluated, and distance not kept…

…the latter allowing a hand to slap Max’s butt.

Startled and taken by surprise, Max hopped a good inch or two off the ground, yelped and exclaimed “Hey!” both sounds high-pitched, bordering on ridiculous. She scurried about as Chloe launched another attack on her posterior, succumbing to laughter above all and nonetheless.

“Aye, me matey!” replied Chloe, chasing after her. “Looks like I found that booty after all!”

“Oh my _god_! Chloe!” Max cackled, her run turning into an awkward waddle as she used her hands to shield her rear. To little avail as it turned out. Chloe was not easily deterred, far from it, and soon she found her mark once again. “Stop it! You’ll regret this!”

An idle threat, if Chloe ever heard one. “Is that so?” she countered. “Because I’m getting mixed signals here!”

At that, Max spun around. “Oh, you’re in trouble, Miss Price!”

Whether it was a confirmation or a promise, Chloe could not tell. Max’s laughter and her continually clumsy attempts at evasion told a story of their own, so much was certain, but Chloe decided to indulge her still. “Gotta catch me first then!” she replied, taking off at once.

And Max need not be asked twice. “You’re so on!”

So it was that they raced once more, now along a beach, now with fortunes swapped. Chloe, without the additional baggage of backpack and cooler – both safe and sound in the car – was quick to put distance between them, her longer legs an advantage it appeared. The backdrop of ocean and setting sun became but a brightly colored footnote; that was until Chloe veered close to the water. Too close for comfort, in Max’s case. But where Max saw a challenge, Chloe saw an opportunity. “Y’know–” she shouted over her shoulder. “I think we’re doing this whole stroll along the beach thing wrong anyway!”

Max understood immediately. “Oh no, Chloe!”

“Oh yes!”

Chloe did not waste a second thought, nor did she pay attention to her clothes. She dropped to the ground, into the sand; kicked off her boots, stripped out of her socks, leaving both behind as she scrambled back up, frolicking toward the water. Again she did so without consideration.

As soon as the waves hit her bare feet however, she gasped. Resoundingly. It was the kind of gasp to give pause to anyone who heard it, the kind that caused actions to be reevaluated. It certainly did so for Chloe, several seconds of stunned silence and slack jaws worth. But Captain Bluebeard was not about to yield, not to water. She pushed forward, waded and rolled up her jeans, the shock of cold lessening with each step taken. “Come on,” she soon yelled, waving at Max. “No romantic beach stroll is complete if your feet aren’t wet.” 

“I’m not so sure about that!” Max neared the water as well, but at the first wave that threatened to lap at her shoes she leapt back, squealing. “And dude, it’s so cold!”

Chloe laughed. “Fuck yes it is, now come!”

Max grumbled. Frowned. Grumbled some more. Then, seconds later, she shook her head and sighed, in those  _ what-can-you-do  _ kind of ways. She did so less at Chloe, and more at herself, at the meager amount of persuasion required, following the realization that she already began to untie her shoelaces. Much more mindful of her clothes however, she first placed everything a safe distance away, wet socks unsought as they tend to be. She rolled up her pants, Chloe whistled at her, “Shut up!” she yelled in turn; nothing out of the ordinary and business as usual.

As was Chloe’s reply. “Come and make me,” it was. “Just get in here!”

The warmth of sun-warmed sand soaked into Max’s soles as she prepared herself. She bounced up and down and shifted from foot to foot as though she were about to go for twelve rounds in the ring, cracked her neck, and said, “All right. You can do this. You can. It’s just water. It’s harmless. You’re a pirate. Pirates aren’t afraid of water. Pirates love–” She took a large breath. Paused. Hesitated. Reconsidered her train of thought. “Actually… They love to be  _ on _ the water. Not  _ in _ the wat–”

“Come on!”

“Oh fuck it.” She charged and yelled. “Let’s do this!” 

The shriek which next sounded through Crescent Cove would be remembered for years to come.

But so would the giggles that trailed thereafter. Stride after stride, or rather skip after skip, Max hurried toward Chloe, hopping from foot to foot as she tried to minimize contact with the water. It all involved little to no elegance. Or in other words: It definitely looked better in the movies.

When Max was but a sparse few feet away, in shin-deep water, Chloe closed the remaining distance. She looked radiating, her silhouette framed by the golden disc that was the setting sun. Smiling, she laced their fingers together. 

“Hey you,” she said, her voice perfectly melding into the murmur of the waves. “Guess you caught me.”

“Guess I did.” With Chloe close, the water’s coldness became but an afterthought, intense still, but even with conscious awareness seemingly less so. Not that there was such a thing as conscious awareness. There was only Chloe, and the smile Max never tired seeing. “And now?”

Holding her hands, Chloe rubbed her thumbs across Max’s wrists, the motions circling, tender. “Well… You said I’d be in trouble,” she replied, shrugging. “Am I?”

An answer came before long, along a smile and a tone more playful. “No. You’re not. I mean… You were just making sure my butt was okay. That’s what you were doing, right? Especially after what that horrible bush almost did to it. You were worried that’s all.”

Chloe chuckled. “I thought we were never to speak of that again?”

“The event that shall not be named.”

“Yeah. That one.”

Max shrugged, and to Chloe’s pleasure she once more nibbled on her lip, unknowingly so. By now it had turned into a tell of sorts, one Chloe loved to see. “I admit, it was pretty funny. Reminds me of that one time you tried putting on all your clothes at once to see if you cou–” A firm hand shot up to cover her mouth, but Max did not refrain from mumbling on, the words alas unintelligible.

“You brat. You just had to bring it up.”

Max pried away Chloe’s hand, grinning. “There were clothes everywhere. Like...  _ Everywhere _ . I’ll never forget that face. So... derpy.”

Chloe made a show of feigning a pout. “You’re a butt.”

“No. You’re a butt… head.” 

“Dork.”

“Nerd.”

“Hipster.”

“Doofus.”

“No, no… Only doofuses say doofus,” Chloe argued. “Didn’t you get the memo?”

“Then we are doofuses together.”

Chloe made a noise of amused acknowledgment, before enveloping Max in her arms, squeezing affectionately and bestowing a kiss to her forehead. “We keep going back to this conversation.”

“Must be a good one then,” said Max, a twinkle in her eyes.

“The best.”

In the distant somewhere seagulls cawed as they fought over the day’s last scraps of food. Waves lapped at the sandy shores, water tickled at ankles and feet, and overhead a plane flew by, tourists on their way to greener pastures. Further still, the sun introduced itself to the horizon, fading into the sea. But Max and Chloe cared very little for those sights and sounds; they observed each other as though they were unable to see anything else. They stared. They gazed. They had done so before, both well aware of what would happen next.

“I don’t know what schmaltzy movies you like to watch,” said Chloe, coyly, “but I think this would be around the time where there’s a ki–”

There was. 

Before she knew it in fact. The choker she had found that morning in the depths of her dresser proved to be a marvelous addition to her wardrobe, as Max used it to do away with what little space separated them. Lips touched and stayed  connected , not a repeat, not a heated tango, but a slow waltz – one befitting the stage setting.

A setting which, once senses returned, had grown noticeably darker.

  


####  _Lovers Under A Thousand Stars_

  


  


“Come on, slowpoke,” Chloe called, “or do I have to give you a ride?”

Max did not wish to go home.

Not yet.

“I think I still have sand in my shoes. And my socks are wet.”

The Dancing Bears. Firefly Lake. Crescent Cove. Even all those inconspicuous minutes spent in Chloe’s truck; each stage of their day, each moment, each little piece of time lived had been extraordinary and remarkable. One by one they had been savored, some forever captured in pictures silly and sweet, all preserved in memories. Alas, little by little shadows grew longer now, the day old yet the evening young, the sun diminished, the sky deep blue and dark the way it had been when Max woke up that very morning. Yet First Mate and Captain remained determined. Determined to make good use of those minutes and hours left, even if imminent nightfall threatened to complicate nonexistent plans.

A path led them back to the overlook. It wound through sandy dunes, and up the cliff, by way of a seemingly unending flight of steps. It was those steps which had emerged to be a daunting challenge – though more so for Max than Chloe. Truth be told, she did not have sand in her shoes. Nor were her socks wet. Eyes started to droop, fatigue creeping toward exhaustion. A restless night, many miles hiked and fresh air breathed, not to mention the more recent lack of coffee, meant the day had taken its toll. But she was not about to let Chloe, who by all accounts appeared to be a source of infinite energy, know and worry.

“And let’s be honest,” Max continued, grunting as she mastered another step, one which really was more akin to a small ledge. “You’d probably enjoy that second part way too much.”

“Hell yes! Gotta train.” Chloe struck a pose and flexed. “After all I’ll be carrying you over the threshold some day.”

“ _Oh,_ we’re back to that, aren’t we?”

Chloe skipped over the next two steps and spun around. Max had no need for sunlight, not with the way Chloe beamed at her. “Can’t you let a girl dream?”

“Of course I can. Especially if she looks this happy doing it.”

Chloe tittered. “Haha. Doing it.”

Max had long since relinquished any pretence, especially considering the role Chloe’s antics had played in making the day into what it had become. She did not even muster a shake of her head. Smiles had taken permanent residence, and she simply leapt up the next step, to land right in front of Chloe, to say, “Tell me about those dreams,” and to most of all press a kiss to her lips. A tender peck, like most times. “What do you see in them?”

Fingers weaved, and hands linked. “You, mostly.”

“Yeah?” A cricket’s song picked up, waves faded away. A last tune to a late summer’s end. “Go on.”

“There’s a lot.”

Their walk resumed, their steps perfectly synchronized. Max nestled close, seeking any and all form of contact, physical or mental – happy to listen, content to just stroll. “We have time,” she said, hopefully. “Day’s not over yet.”

“Right.”

Although Chloe could not help the heat in her cheeks, and although her thoughts raced so all of a sudden, she nevertheless found and seized every opportunity to lock her eyes onto the girl in her arms. Lighter shades of blue always gazed back, always telling her what she needed to hear.

“You know that bullshit superstition about not seeing the bride before the wedding?” she said, the question rhetorical but Max nodded anyway. “Well, I’m imagining how I’m gonna come into your room to see you, because I’m nervous and losing my shit. But I’m trying to play it cool, you know? Don’t want to worry you and all that.” A hand squeezed in response, words not required. “Anyway. Then I see you and you’re just… wowser. Because that’s a thing I’ll be saying by then.”

Max smiled. “Sounds like I’m a good influence.”

“You have no idea. I went to college. Got an awesome degree. A job on the side. Don’t know what yet, but I did. Sometimes I doubted myself, but you were always there to kick my ass into gear.” She chuckled, felt something in her eyes, perhaps a grain of sand, perhaps another tear. “Life’s good. Great even. All thanks to you.”

A breeze ruffled the long grass to their right. Fainter were the traces of briny sea, more pronounced again the rustle of leaves, chillier the air, the latter to no small degree the reason why Max after all those hours still wore Chloe’s beanie. She drew herself ever closer, now leaning into Chloe as she was led uphill.

“Are you cold?” The question came instantly.

The reply did not. “No. I’m okay. Thank you.”

Nevertheless hands unlinked. Max lost Chloe’s touch, for a second she found herself chasing the feeling, clutching at Chloe’s jacket instead, eyes wide like a kicked puppy. A kiss to her temple – lingering and warm – jerked her from those thoughts. She felt a tattooed arm drape itself around her shoulders, the touch she thought she lost tenderly rubbing her bicep, granting comfort. A wave of warmth she did not know she needed spread throughout, soaking into every fiber of her being.

Chloe pulled her in; she fit perfectly. She always did. “Better now?”

They scaled another step, and once more its rise was too steep for comfort. Gratefully, Max accepted Chloe’s proffered help, and in the wake of each minor act of compassion she felt her love increase another order of magnitude. On the outside she smiled and nodded, but mentally she chastised herself. Why she made use of those white lies, despite her better knowledge, she did not know. She could do better. She needed to do better. No more lies, no more half-truths, no ifs and no buts. The truth and nothing but. For Chloe.

“I don’t have sand in my shoes,” she said, using the bridge of her nose to nudge and nestle into Chloe’s side.

“And your socks aren’t wet.”

“I’m getting tired.”

“I know.”

“But I don’t want to go home yet.”

“I know, babe.” Chloe pressed another kiss to Max’s temple, her voice a barely there whisper. She squeezed Max’s arm, felt her form melt into her side, the way she so often would in the nest that was their bed, in the cocoon that was their room – a sudden and stark reminder of the demons which would await her in Arcadia Bay, perhaps already during the encroaching night.

Chloe slowed their pace. It made sense to do so. “We have time.”

The crickets sang their song.

The stars made an appearance.

The stairs showed no signs of stopping.

“Tell me more,” said Max. “What happens next, after you come into my room?”

So Chloe did. She was more than happy to.

She told the tale of their wedding day, a tale fleshed out into a little something more, something more than a simple dream. She spoke of superstitions, of how they nevertheless held sway; “ _Dad’s influence,_ ” she called it. She spoke of how Max chased after her onto the balcony, her dress a minor hindrance as the hemline dragged across the ground, her wedding braid still half-done, and a furiously cursing bridesmaid in tow. She spoke of that very bridesmaid, her name “ _Sheila or something like that._ ” A rather eccentric girl they met after moving into their first apartment, but whose eccentricity was easily outclassed by the cakes she baked.

“Wait,” Max interjected. “So we’re only friends with her because she’s good at baking? And then she’s a bridesmaid?”

Chloe shrugged. “I never said it’s a realistic story. Also you love cake.”

“Could have at least made Kate the bridesmaid.”

“You said Kate doesn’t swear.”

“Is that important to the story?”

It was not, but Chloe spun the story further all the same. A tale of how Max soothed away fears and doubts, how one of her smiles conveyed every hope and every promise, of how times sometimes were difficult but never hopeless. Every kiss, every compliment, every touch would be as potent as the first, every single one an affirmation of their love. They would dance on that balcony, share their vows with one another, not to avoid surprises, but because, “ _I_ _t_ _’d be perfect then and there. Because you’d deserve to hear them before anyone else. Because I could tell how you changed my life. I could tell you everything._ ”

“ _I would bawl,_ ” she said, but she would laugh when Max would work in a pun, one the situation did not call for, one really not all that great, but one which would be exactly what she needed to hear. Hours later they would stand at the altar, Max’s braid now done, not just beautiful, but radiant. As would be the rest of her. Her dress. Her smile. Everything. The officiant would talk and ramble and talk, and they would barely hear him because they could see nothing else but each other. Vows would be exchanged, rings would be slipped onto fingers, tears would be shed. They would kiss. They would be married, “ _Wife and wife forever after_.”

“It would be perfect.”

“It will be perfect,” Max corrected.

Chloe found no reason to dispute, for may it be two, five, or ten years, the girl in her arms would be the woman of her future. A life shared and a love lived – _Forever_ not merely the too eager ramblings of two six and seven year old girls after a first impromptu play date. From excited _I too love pirates’_ to affectionate _I love you too’s,_ a life completed by each other, always.

Chloe’s hand shifted, fingers moving not without a farewell to Max’s arm, finding rest on the sides of her waist. Gently she pulled her closer, to nuzzle her temple, to whisper, “Look. We’re back,” to pull the beanie a little further over Max’s ears, to listen to her hushed giggle, to answer with one of her own. “The overlook.”

Conversation had carried them up the steps, and fifteen minutes had passed like seconds. Now, twelve hours later, they once more arrived on the same overlook. Stomachs full still, hearts overflowing. Whereas in the hours of their absence the area had been busy, though never exactly bustling with people, Max and Chloe were at present the sole souls outside.

Chloe did not lead them to the path they walked that morning on their quest for breakfast, she did not lead them to the parking lot. Not yet. She veered to the right, past the back side of the diner, past its terrace. Yellow light poured over the gravel that crunched under their shoes, and their shadows moved across the ground, dwindling as they headed in the opposite direction. The cliff narrowed, and breezes turned into gusts, before them another short flight of steps.

The viewfinders, Max realized.

“Chloe,” she managed to say, to whisper. She was not sure if Chloe heard, it did not matter, she did not need to for it to be true. It only needed to be said. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” was the whispered reply. “We have time.”

Dark blue bled into pitch black, ocean into sky crowded with stars. A pale band extended toward the horizon, fuzzy and gently restless, reflected in waves and tide, cast by the crescent moon that shone over the forest. It continued beyond, forever into eternity. The milky way, thousands upon thousands, billion upon billion of stars, the universe Max defied sharing with two lovers its humbling beauty.

“It’s beautiful,” said Max, and for a second there was only the sound of her and Chloe’s breathing. Another second before another wave crashed against the cliffs. “The stars… There’s nothing like it in Sea– in the city. It’s just… empty. The first night alone in my dorm I just kept staring out of the windows.” The tiniest laugh escaped her. “Must’ve looked like a weirdo.”

“Not weird.” Chloe smiled at her. “You were home again.”

“No.”

An unruly lock of blue hair spilled over Chloe’s eyes. Max reached to brush it aside, to tuck it back around her ear, her hand lingering, her knuckles grazing down Chloe's temple and cheek. Eyes locked, blinks tarried, the world drowned out.

A moment courtesy of a latest breeze.

“Not yet.”

The moment Chloe’s heart melted.

She knew what she had to do. She brought Max’s hand to her lips, kissed and held it there and kissed again. She would do anything for this girl, the girl who deserved everything. “Let’s stay,” she said and words spilled. “We can stay as long as you’d like. We’ll go home when you’re ready. We have time, day’s not over yet.” Quickly she glanced over her shoulder, at the diner. “It’s still open. It’s warm inside. We can sit and we can have a drink and wat–”

“Chloe,” Max interrupted. She nodded. Weak at first, more earnest by the second. “I’d love that.” She sniffled, but a laugh escaped her nonetheless. “I’d love that a lot. We could stuff our faces with cake.”

“And drink hot coca until we get sick?”

Another sniffle, another laugh. “Let’s try not to. Not today.”

“Just for once, hmm?”

“Yeah. Just once.”

They smiled. They gazed. Chloe at Max, Max at the stars. Chloe at the stars, Max at Chloe.

Back and forth they went, a little while longer.

“You’re right,” Chloe spoke softly. “The stars are beautiful. I guess having lived around here my whole life I stopped paying attention to them. Took ‘em for granted.”

“You shouldn’t.” Max squeezed Chloe’s hand. “They’re special. Like today.”

Chloe nodded.

Late evening quieted.

They gazed. They smiled.

“Diner?”

“Diner.”

Two lone souls under a thousand stars they may have been, but they were not alone in the night. In the Dancing Bears Diner, there were two more – the building otherwise empty. Two women, one tall, her hair a curly mess of auburn; the other of average height but wearing heels that were anything but, dressed in a three-piece suit, dark blue, striped, blonde hair tied into a bun. They danced, slow and close, to music only they heard.

“Look,” said Max as they neared the building, slowing down as she watched, a considerable distance away still. “Guess we know now why she was dancing this morning. With the cakes.”

“Yeah. And I guess that’s the girlfriend. She looks...”

“Fancy.”

“One way of putting it.” Chloe cocked her head as she studied the scene. Without paying attention to the fact, she too slowed down, as next to her Max had all but stopped walking. “Have to admit, I kinda thought that story she told us was bullshit.”

“You didn’t mind the free coffee though.”

Chloe shot Max a look. “You’re one to speak.”

Max flashed a grin, but then she stopped in her tracks and sighed, her shoulders sagging. “Look at them.” She shook her head, dejectedly. “That’s what she meant when she said the day would be special. This is their moment, and you saw what she drew. We can’t go in there, Chloe.”

“But–“

“Chloe, _come on_.”

“It’s open.”

“Actually, no, it isn’t. Look.” Max motioned at the entrance. On the sign which stood on the porch, dimly lit from above, the opening hours had been haphazardly erased, replaced by what looked to be a hastily written: _Sorry! Closed for special event! I apologize for the inconvenience – Eleanor._

“She even drew a heart,” noted Max with a chuckle.

Chloe could not help the incredulous glare she shot at the sign, nor the muscle that jumped in her jaw, nor the little look of disbelief she offered Max. It took one of Max’s smiles for her to shake her head and sigh, the way Max had done seconds before. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I just… I hoped we could stay. I– I don’t want today to end until you’re ready.”

“Chloe, it’s okay,” Max was quick to assure, her tone calm. “It’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault.”

“But now–”

“No buts, Chloe. It’s all right. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”

But Chloe did worry. Her stare was wistful chagrin, as was the next sigh she breathed. Whether aimed at the dancing women, at the stars that so tenderly twinkled, or at nothing in particular, she did not hide her disappointment well. Unlike Max. The girl was putting on a brave face, like she so often forced herself to, Chloe knew. But the bubble they had created for themselves threatened to burst so all of a sudden, and Chloe did not wish to witness the outcome. Balancing on the cusp of two worlds – Arcadia Bay and the little corner that was Crescent Cove – they now stood in the night, the universe staring down at them, silent.

That was until Chloe felt Max tug on her sleeve. Roused from her thoughts, her attention snapped back to her girlfriend. “Sorry,” she said. “I was just lost in–”

“Don’t.” Once more Max interrupted. She firmly pressed a finger into Chloe’s lips to silence her. “Let me.”

She smiled.

Every hope and every promise.

“It looked like you were _bear-_ ied in thought.”

But exactly what she needed to hear. The corners of Chloe’s mouth quirked up again at last, and she met that sheepish gaze, answering with one of her own – any emotions other than love and happiness evaporated within a single heartbeat. She sidled closer, back turned toward the diner, all but meeting Max nose to nose now. She whispered. “Okay. I guess you could say that...” Eyes darted around the overlook, then back to Max. “...this place is like a big balcony.”

“Also wasn’t my best effort.”

“Then you know what happens next.” Chloe’s hands traveled, until they settled on Max’s hips. “Shall we, my dear?”

She expected a variety of different reactions, whether they be an outright attempt at escape, a too quick and entirely too endearing refusal, or simply stunned silence. What she received was neither, yet everything.

Her focus lovingly held onto Max, into large eyes of blue dotted with stars, the affection embodied therein bringing warmth to this late evening, to this early night. She giggled when that mop of brown hair, though beanie-covered as it was, tickled at the side of her face. She smiled when arms languidly draped around her shoulders. She felt at home when their bodies moved to a slow rhythm only they knew, from left to right, from right to left – a slow dance in the pale moonlight, under a thousand stars, the prelude to something they never knew they wanted.

“I see you’ve been practicing your moves without me,” Chloe whispered, speaking words as soft as her breath was warm against Max’s skin. “Don’t know if I should be disappointed, or honored.”

A laugh, dainty and muffled, answered. “My moves are shit.”

“No. They’re not.” The tip of Chloe’s nose traced Max’s temple in a tenderly sweeping line, lips so close they touched her ears. Ears she whispered yet more soft words into. Words to send shivers throughout Max’s body. “You just choose to think they are. Stop doubting yourself. You’re so much better than that.“

A breath, a heartbeat, a step to the left.

Pause.

A breath, a heartbeat, a step to the right.

Pause.

With her face buried deep in the crook of Chloe’s neck, Max succumbed to the gentle rhythm. She felt Chloe’s hands on her hips, how her fingers applied the faintest pressure. She felt Chloe’s pulse, how her heart danced to the same music. She felt Chloe’s warmth, how her body led them into a slow spin. “Chloe,” she said, another whisper to sound through the cold air. “Thank you.”

She squeezed, and Chloe squeezed back.

She smiled, and Chloe smiled back.

She gazed, and Chloe gazed back.

“For today.”

Another step to the left.

“Why are you thanking me?”

From their spot in the shadows, Max caught a glimpse of the other two dancers, how their steps ramped up the moment her own stopped. She blinked, long and slow, pulled away and frowned, the air between her and Chloe still. “Because you made today special for me,” she explained, she tried to at least, her tone sounding as though it were a given Chloe failed to comprehend. “Today, _I_ have laughed like I haven’t done in years. If you had listened to me, this day wouldn’t even have been half as special. But no. You gave me pushes when I needed them. We wouldn’t have had a picnic on a lake. We wouldn’t have gotten our feet wet. We wouldn’t have... kissed like that.” She paused, moved closer again. “And there’s all those other things you did. Like getting up early to let me sleep, or preparing that picnic, or buying me film, or… or dancing under the stars… So thank you, Chloe. Seriously, thank you.”

“I–” Chloe shoved her hands into her pockets. She shuffled her feet and shrugged, eyes skipping around the overlook; flustered for reasons she did not grasp. “It’s nothing really. Not like I didn’t enjoy doing those things. Also then I have to thank you as well. Because, honestly, what I did is like a whole shitload of nothing compared to what you did.”

“Chloe, stop it. It’s not a competition. You don’t ha–”

“No listen.” Chloe put her hands firmly onto Max’s shoulders, her bashful state but a fleeting one. “You helped me today, okay? You–” She laughed as she realized what she was about to say, where this conversation was headed. “You kicked my insecure ass into gear. You probably changed my life today. _Again_. I mean who does that? This morning I just wanted to go on a date. Now I’m looking forward to a future I never thought I would have. Whatever that’s going to be. So respectfully, Max, no, what I did was fuck all.”

Max shook her head, her expression blank at first, soon to be replaced by a small grin as she too caught on. “First off,” she said. “That’s not true, you did so much for me today, so stop it. Second.” Her grin grew as she shoved Chloe, thrown into a quick fit of giggles. “How dare you! You’re impossible! Vows on a balcony!”

Chloe joined in on her laughter, responding with a shove of her own. “Hey, you started it! And I didn’t hear you complaining when asked you to dance. In fact I don’t hear you complaining at all.”

“I’m not!” Max cycled through facial expressions, from smiles over smirks to grins and back. She settled on a grin. “I’m making a point!”

“Are you?”

“Okay.” Max snorted. “Trying to make a point. But seriously, see? Even now you’re making me laugh. That’s what I mean.” She twined their hands and fingers together again, never for long would they be separated. “So thank you, Chloe. For everything.”

Their heartbeats decelerated after their bout playfulness, and though the need to rebut was strong still, Chloe thought better of it. Good natured intents brushed aside, she instead said, “You’re welcome. Honestly I’m just trying to show you a good time. It’s all I can do. You deserve it. I just wish...” She could not help the same wistful stare she that moment aimed at the diner, but the events she witnessed unfold beyond those walls gave her pause, her train of thought derailed. “Holy...”

“Chloe?”

Wistful became awestruck. “Shit, Max. Look.”

She saw themselves. Their future.

  


####  _Tales From Crescent Cove_

  


  


Unbeknownst to Max and Chloe, a classical tune had reached its crescendo. As did a kindred dance. A twirl, a dip, a long-held look, and four words whispered; the blonde woman in the blue striped three-piece suit stumbled backward, almost losing her footing in the process. She gasped, clasped her hands over her mouth, stumbled yet another step. In front of her a curly-haired waitress knelt, reciting words and promises of past and future, fighting back tears, an inkling she shared that morning come to life. A question asked, an answer given, and the women were in each other’s arms.

“Holy shit is right,” muttered Max. “That explains a lot.”

“More like everything.” Chloe shook her head in disbelief. “Fuck, this really is the one topic we can’t escape today. I did not expect to see that.”

“Same here.” Though she felt as if she were an intruder about to barge in and ruin a special occasion, Max had to smile at the happiness on display, entranced by its hypnotic pull. “But that’s why she was so nervous. And the drawings. She was dreaming too. Just like us.”

“Yeah. I suppose _that_ was their moment.” Chloe’s lips were pressed tight, her features, though not stony, still betraying those last traces of dissatisfaction. “Makes sense now why she closed early...”

Without missing a beat, Max’s hand was on Chloe’s arm. “I’m sorry, Chloe. I know you wanted to stay as well.”

“It would have been nice,” Chloe admitted.

“You would have deserved it too.”

“We both would have.”

Max agreed with a nod and a bashful smile, then tugged on Chloe’s hands. “Come on, I think we’ve seen enough. Let’s not be creeps,” she said, her tone soft yet also laced with the unmistakable hint of a parting’s sweet sorrow. “It’s time to go home.”

“Yeah, you’re right...” Chloe sighed heavily. “Let’s uh… How about we just walk very slowly,” she stated more than she asked. “Take our time.”

Max nestled close and forced a chuckle, one tiny and barely audible. “Please. _Very_ slowly.”

So they walked indeed, hand in hand past the diner, across the overlook, toward the path they so desperately tried and wished to avoid. Alas, despite their deliberate pace, they not before long passed a first dreaded signpost. The parking lot drew nearer and nearer with each step taken, and as the night deepened, between them silence reigned – neither aching nor comfortable. It simply was, as Chloe and Max drifted through their respective thoughts. Pale moonlight filtered through the canopies, gravel crunched beneath their shoes, somewhere an owl hooted. Thankfully lights lit their way, granting an aura less becoming of the woods they were in, and more that of a neighborhood park, the atmosphere romantic if nothing else.

“I’m gonna call her tomorrow.”

“Huh?”

Chloe fumbled through her pocket, in search of the business card she had been given. By now the conversation rolled of her tongue much easier than twelve hours ago, and she spoke with newfound confidence. “Lenny, I mean. I’m gonna call her. Ask about the job. She said it’s only part-time, so I can work, hang out with you, and have still time to ace my GED.” Rather fondly she eyed the card, before handing it to Max. “What do you think?”

_Welcome to the Dancing Bears Inn. My name is Chloe, and I’ll be taking care of you today –_ the words were more than the echo of a thought, more than a mental image. Max felt them, and they felt right, and thus her lips quirked, and she replied, saying, “What can I do to help?”

Chloe flashed a coy smirk. “Hold my hand when I call?”

“Whoa. You’re asking a lot.” Max’s voice was mock skepticism. “But I’ll see what I can do. No guarantees though. I’ll have to check my schedule first.”

“I’m sure we’ll find some free minutes. Maybe between your 10 a.m–”

“Cuddling with Chloe.”

“–and your 11 a.m.”

“Making out with Chloe.”

Chloe laughed. “Well, she sounds like a lucky girl.”

“I mean, usually I’d say I’m the lucky one, but I’m sure she’d try and show me the error of my ways,” Max claimed unabashedly. She made a show of grinning and casting a side eye at Chloe, forthwith earning herself a playful yet firm nudge. “Okay. I asked for that one.”

“You did, you goob. You’re making this walk way more fun than it has any right to be.”

“Yeah,” Max admitted. By itself the word came out _almost_ as apologetic, but when she slowed their pace yet more its full meaning became obvious.

“Sorry.” Chloe matched her step. “Didn’t mean to–”

Max was quick to interject, too quick. “No, no. It’s okay,” she said. “I didn’t mean to derail either.” She offered a smile, and handed the business card back to Chloe. “Anyway. You’ll do great. And I’ll do whatever I can to help, whatever you need me too. I know it’s a big step, but I’m seriously proud of you for taking it.”

A delicate pink tinged Chloe’s cheeks, her face upturned. “Proud of me. I guess that’s a thing people are saying nowadays.” She took a deep breath, satisfied, shaking her head all the same. “But really it's still just baby steps.”

“Baby steps are steps too,” Max countered, before adding, her tone imploring, “And Chloe, no, those are not baby steps you're taking. More like… a giant leap.”

“For Chloe-kind?” Chloe joked, holding out hope.

“Yeah. So don’t sell yourself short.” She rose on her tip-toes and placed a kiss on Chloe’s cheek. “Be proud of yourself. You have _every_ right to be.”

Little more needed to be said. 

Little more would be said.

Around the next bend their journey’s end materialized. Streetlamps, welcome yet out of place, bathed the area in a dim yellowish glow, moths and insects fluttering, drawn toward its source. Thinner were the canopies, visible again the stars and crescent moon, eerie the air. The parking lot stood empty, save for three vehicles. A motorcycle, which Chloe had eyed that very morning – not so jokingly inquiring about Max’s opinion on biker outfits – an expensive-looking sedan, and straight ahead and no more than a stone’s throw away: the looming presence that was Chloe’s truck.

As immeasurable as the distance to Arcadia Bay and its challenges may have seemed during hours prior, it now felt anything but. A snail’s pace was but a drop in the ocean, a futile attempt at delaying the inevitable. Space dwindled so all of a sudden, faster and faster with each second, a hundred feet turning to eighty, eighty to fifty, fifty to ten, ten to– 

Max stopped. 

A brave face crumpled into dust. 

Chloe's heart broke into a million tiny pieces. 

“ _Today, I have laughed like I haven’t done in years_ ,” Max had said. Chloe remembered the words, but above all else she remembered the smiles. The laughter. The giggles. Joy reminiscent of a youth lost somewhere along the way, sometimes the result of a bad joke, sometimes circumstance, other times for no reason discernible. Be it a request for an additional serving of bacon, coffee-fueled antics involving tree trunks and penguins, a scrunched-up nose at the taste of wine, mental and physical preparations in the face of cold water, or slow rhythmic steps taken on an imaginary balcony; Max’s happiness had blossomed in many shapes and forms. She had taken pictures, some of her best work yet. She had restored confidence thought to be lost, changing a life for the third time in mere weeks. She had proved the pain of unsought burdens to be surmountable, and the dream of a better future one to be worth chasing.

Yet now here she stood, under a dim cone of light, on a parking lot, on the edge to another reality, her features and her entire posture slack.

It was not how the day was supposed to end.

It was not.

Chloe forced aside the heaviness of her soul, straining but succeeding. At once she moved to face Max, to offer a smile, simple yet warm, a kindness to conceal a steely resolve. She cupped Max’s face, and blue eyes locked into intimate and nostalgic contact. Her hands brought a sense of sanctuary, and her thumbs slowly grazed over still rosy cheeks, the touch beyond all doubt the most tender and caring one to date. Max leaned into it, preferring Chloe’s right hand to her left, her eyelids slipping closed, her breathing deepening, her lips setting in a smile.

“There you go,” whispered Chloe, her lips warm and soft against Max’s skin as she peppered feather-light kisses across her forehead. “I’m sorry it has to end.”

Strangely enough, she coaxed a chuckle out of Max. “You’re too good to me.”

“Max, I could never be.”

At that however, Max’s eyes fluttered open again. From deep within her pupils the reflection of the streetlamp shone, granting them a genuine gleam. She nuzzled into the palm of Chloe’s hand, and never once did her gaze stray. “Chloe Elizabeth Price,” she said, though not exactly rushing to. “You’re impossible. I hope you know that.”

“I’ve been told. On occasion,” Chloe replied, her thumbs continuing to caress in gentle strokes. “There’s this girl, she sometimes tells me that. She’s... kinda impossible herself. _Super_ talented. Like you wouldn’t believe how talented. I just know her pictures will be shown all around the world, because I know she can do anything. She can even get me to believe in myself.” She leaned in to rub noses, the sounds that were Max’s ensuing giggles floating through the air like leaves in the wind. “Also, she is super pretty. The cutest face full of freckles, the most adorable laugh, and don’t get me started on her smile. Turns my knees to jelly. And I get to wake up next to her every morning, and every day she’s  the first thing I see. She makes life _so_ special. Long story cut short, I’m _hella_ in love with you, Maxine Caulfield.”

Sweet nothings so honeyed that Max happily glossed over the cardinal sin that was using her full name. Affections so sweet that words failed to do them justice. Another moment so tenderly perfect they were lost in now, that neither rushed to leave it.

An evening’s last breeze curled through the forest. It swept across gravel and parking lot, its chills raising goosebumps on bodies short and tall. A night’s first breeze followed.

“It’s getting cold,” spoke Max in a befitting whisper.

With a last brush of her knuckles down the side of Max’s face, Chloe’s hands retreated. She smiled, shrugged off her jacket, and without a word spoken she draped it over Max’s shoulders, going so far as to fuss over its usually rolled-up sleeves.

“Chloe...” Max protested. “That’s not what I–”

“Shh.” Chloe shushed her, softly. “It’s all right. Just keep it on. You’re cold.”

“But you are as well.”

“I’m all right. You need it more than me.”

Max opened her mouth, but this time words and voice remained stuck in her throat. She glanced around – the faintest shake of her head her response at first – as though explanations were to be found elsewhere. But none were needed. Of course Chloe would put herself second; impossible she was after all. So, the very next moment Max simply lurched at her instead, arms wrapping Chloe not into a hug, but into an embrace,  holding her as though it were winter and she the sole  source  of warmth.

“Whoa!” Chloe exclaimed, laughing as she stumbled a step. “Max, baby, it’s just a jacket.”

It was not. It was so much more than that.

“You’re cold too,” Max said, her head tucked safely under Chloe’s chin. “So I’ll keep you warm too. I’ll always do so. Forever.”

_Forever._ Chloe held her world in her arms, and it fit so perfectly. She stood a little straighter, allowing Max to nestle in even deeper, enclosing her completely, her lips curving into a smile as they touched her temple. “Forever,” she said, voicing a shared thought, “and if it’s ever going to be too cold, then we’ll just use a blanket. We have–” Realization hit in a heartbeat. She threw a look over her shoulder, at her truck, at the cab, and her smile turned into a beam. “The blanket.”

It was not how the day would end. 

It was not.

“Yes! Max!” she exclaimed, her voice so suddenly no longer one of tender sweetness, but brimming with unbridled enthusiasm. “The blanket!”

With eyes narrowed and forehead furrowed, Max pulled away. “The blanket?”

“Yes!” Chloe put her hands firmly on Max’s shoulders, hunching down to meet her eye to eye. She all but shook her, so high had her spirits been lifted. “You’re not too tired right? You’re still doing fine.”

“Y-yeah.” Max nodded, still frowning. “I’m fine. But why? What’s going on?”

Chloe got straight to the point, at least as straight as the exhilaration that gripped her allowed her to. “We can stay!” she explained. “As long as we’d like. We don’t need the diner to be warm, you said it, we have each other. And in the truck we have the blanket I used to cover the seats. We can lie down in the back. It’s all we need.”

And at last Max understood. She perked up, emotions rushing into her, her frown wiped away at once. The world drowned out and her heart swelled. Not one size, not two sizes, but a number far beyond, still managing to do what felt like somersault after somersault after somersault. “ We can watch the stars! ”

“Exactly!” She grabbed Max’s hands and spun circles around her, until they were but giggles and laughter, their shadows dancing across the ground. “The day’s not over yet! We still have time!”

And so it was that she eventually skipped away. She broke into something between a bouncy walk and a dance, anxious to prepare their nest. She pawed through her pockets, found her car keys, but before she got to work, she stopped and spun around again, her attention snapping back to Max. There was one more thing to do. “Remember what we said this morning?” 

Rhetorical as the question was, Max had no opportunity to answer, nor did Chloe expect one. She winked at Max, smirked, and thrust her arms, hands, and most of all her middle fingers to the sky. Then, she yelled. As loud as she could. “Hah! Fuck you! Fuck you! We are happy!”

“Chloe!” Whereas Chloe had raised her voice, Max lowered hers. She giggled and scurried over. “What the hell are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” She laughed. “Come on!”

She launched into another string of obscenities, and inside Max yet more laughter bubbled. It erupted with such force that she had to clutch her stomach, only for her to catch her breath the next moment, and follow Chloe’s lead. “This is the best day of my life!”

“Our lives!”

“It’s our day! We waited five years for this! And you’re never going to take her away from me, your hear me!” Max screamed at the top of her lungs, screamed like she had never before, until it felt like her chest would burst. One last push, inhibitions thrown aside to make truths yelled cathartic and cleansing. “I love her and I’ll never leave her! Never! So fuck you!”

“ _Yes!_ ” Chloe agreed and appreciated. “We’re Max and Chloe! And we’re in love! And we beat you!”

“And we’ll keep beating you!”

“You’ll never break us apart! So fuck off!”

“We’ll be together!”

“Forever!”

“And always!”

They screamed one last guttural scream, shouted one last unified, “Fuck you!” Panting, regaining their breaths, smiling and gazing, their thoughts were one, of  a promise made, one repeated countless times, either thought of or held every day since.

“Always,” said Chloe.

“Forever,” said Max.

The world faded into silence, but in the little corner that was Crescent Cove, the stories of a magical day lived on. In woods ablaze with golden reds, a make-believe madman sought to uncover the mysteries of the dancing bears. In a diner of the same name, two to-be-weds danced into the night. In golden sands, footprints were slowly washed away by the tides. On a lake brimming with treasures of the heart, a legendary pirate vessel swayed, freshly adorned with an inscription that read  _MC+CP_ . And in the bed of an enchanted carriage, two hearts and one love had learned to dream again – the First Mate and the Captain, the Doe and the Butterfly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I apologize for the long wait. Life is still busy, not always all that great, etc... Won't go into any detail. What I can say is that the next update probably won't take me three months to post. Also the next chapter won't be this long. Except 25 maybe, that's one going to be long.
> 
> Now, if anyone out there is particularly desperate for updates, you can follow me on **[Twitter](https://twitter.com/Vaslux)**. I made that account but forgot to post it last time. I might also tweet pictures of my cats, so there's that.
> 
> Thank you for reading, and see you next time!


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